Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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968. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if flexibility will be given to farmers along inland waterways to access water for their crops from the canals and rivers during the prolonged period of warm weather; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30445/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Waterways Ireland have informed me that any prolonged period of warm weather affects all of the canal feeder water supplies reducing the volume of water available.  This leads to a shortage of water for the canal network.

Waterways Ireland work closely with the Local Authorities and Irish Water to try to maintain adequate water in the canal network and meet the minimum levels required to sustain these unique bio systems and the structural integrity of the canal.  This involves careful management of the water available through the system from canal levels between locks to facilitate boat passages.

In these circumstances there is no surplus of water available to support the irrigation of crops on land adjacent to the canal network.