Vol. 395 No. 8
56 Dr. Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Finance when it is proposed to begin the programme for (1) eliminating water pollution (2) fish stocking and conservation (3) the construction of fisheries stands and (4) making the Royal Canal navigable from the Liffey to the Shannon; the likely duration of such a programme; and the estimated cost.
The Environment Action Programme recently announced by the Government included a decision to develop the Grand and Royal Canals into a coarse angling fishery. Work is already in hand in relation to developing satisfactory methods of weed control to satisfy, inter alia, fishing requirements and on the identification and elimination of potential polluted discharges and arrangements are at present being made to set up the new programme. It is envisaged that the canals can be developed to their full potential as a fishery by the end of 1995. The estimated cost of the new programme is £450,000.
Work on the restoration of navigation and general upgrading of the Royal Canal is proceeding. All the lockgates have now been installed between Blanchardstown and Mullingar. The dredging work on this section, which is necessary to restore navigation depths, should be completed during 1990. The next phase is to restore access, through the Dublin stretches, to the Liffey. It is planned to concentrate on these sections in 1990 and it is hoped to open navigation to the sea in 1991. The estimated cost of removing the major obstacles to navigation through the city sections is £240,000.
The restoration of the canal west of Mullingar will have to be undertaken over a longer period of time and as resources permit. The problems are greater and the costs likely to be higher than on other parts of the canal. They have been provisionally estimated to the order of £10 million.
