Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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317. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will give further consideration to the extension of the Erne navigation from Belturbet to Killykeen and Killeshandra; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40985/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Waterways Ireland manages and maintains the navigation on the River Erne in County Cavan as part of the Shannon – Erne Waterway. Waterways Ireland public jetties are provided in both Belturbet and Kilconny and the navigation channel is provided with navigation markers and signage as and where required. The upper limit of the managed navigation on the River Erne is just below Erne Bridge between Belturbet and Kilconny.

I have been informed by Waterways Ireland that a number of studies have been undertaken since the late 1980’s to examine the feasibility of extending the navigation upstream from Belturbet to Lough Oughter and Killeshandra. Based on the findings of these studies and the environmental information obtained from the process, Waterways Ireland considers that the environmental of this lake complex make the feasibility of the proposed navigation extension unviable and there are no plans for a navigation extension scheme.

I am working with Waterways Ireland on the waters upstream from Belturbet/ Kilconny, the River Erne and Lough Oughter/Killeshandra area, which may have potential for being promoted as a distinct Blueway.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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318. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if consideration has been given to a possible extension to the blueway scheme to areas such as Killeshandra which are adjacent to the Erne-Shannon navigation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40986/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Waterways Ireland manages and maintains the navigation on the River Erne up to Belturbet/ Kilconny in County Cavan as part of the Shannon – Erne Waterway. The upper limit of the managed navigation on the River Erne is just below Erne Bridge between Belturbet and Kilconny. I am working with Waterways Ireland on the waters upstream from Belturbet/Kilconny, the River Erne and Lough Oughter/Killeshandra area, which may have potential for being promoted as a distinct Blueway.