Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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317. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the engagement he has had with his Northern Irish counterpart in relation to the Ulster Canal connection from Clones, County Monaghan to Upper Lough Erne upgrade in the context of the new shared island fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1507/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Nichola Mallon, MLA, Minister for Infrastructure, shares with Minister Darragh O'Brien and myself a commitment to North South Cooperation in a tangible way.

Officials from both my Department and the Department for Infrastructure, continue to co-operate effectively and communicate on a frequent basis on all matters concerning Waterways Ireland.

On November 11 2020, I attended the twenty-fifth North South Ministerial Council Inland Waterways sectoral meeting , Chaired by Minister O'Brien, along with the Minister for Infrastructure, and various other Ministers.    

The progress achieved in the restoration of the Ulster Canal, including the completion of Phase 1 of the restoration from Upper Lough Erne to Castle Saunderson, the ongoing work and future plans for the restoration from Clones to Clonfad and the development of the Ulster Canal Greenway was discussed and noted by Ministers. The next inland Waterways sectoral meeting is now scheduled for May 2021.

Both my Department and the Department for Infrastructure were represented at North South Ministerial Council Plenary meetings held 31 July 2020 and 18 December 2020, at which it was noted by Ministers that both Administrations continue to work together to progress the Ulster Canal projects.

Following the December Plenary meeting, Government announced approval of over €6m in funding from the Shared Island Fund to enable the continued restoration of the Ulster Canal and further development of the Ulster Canal Greenway, demonstrating our Government's  commitment to North South cooperation and the concept of a Shared Island. Both are significant North South projects, aligned to the recent commitments of the New Decade, New Approach, and the Programme for Government.