Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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786. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will establish one agency to manage the river Shannon. [1428/25]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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787. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will establish an ongoing river Shannon maintenance programme. [1431/25]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Waterways Ireland is the North South Body responsible for the management and maintenance of more than 1000km of Ireland's inland waterways including the river Shannon. Waterways Ireland also manages and maintains the Shannon Erne Waterway, Erne System, the Barrow, the Royal and Grand Canals and the Lower Bann Navigation.

Waterways Ireland is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

The Shannon Flood Relief State Agencies Co-ordination Working Group chaired by the Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for co-ordination and implementation of Government policy in relation to the management of flood risk in Ireland. This Group has the lead role in developing policy on national flood risk management and co-ordinating the actions and activities of Government Departments, the local authorities and other key stakeholders in relation to the management of flood risk, including Waterways Ireland who are members of the Group.

Detailed information in respect Waterways Ireland’s maintenance programme, plans and ongoing work on the River Shannon navigation is not held in my Department, however arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for Waterways Ireland is: oireachtas@waterwaysireland.org.