Vol. 415 No. 7
25 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the proposals of the Office of Public Works to clean-up the Royal Canal and its banks from Cross Guns Bridge to the Liffey junction; when the work will commence; when it will be completed; and if he will outline the extent to which the Office of Public Works are co-operating with Dublin Corporation in blending it into contiguous open space; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Office of Public Works have been engaged on the restoration of the Royal Canal since 1986 when the canals were transferred from CIE to the Office of Public Works. By 1990 a 46 mile stretch of the canal from Mullingar to Blanchardstown had been restored and work then commenced on the section eastward from Blanchardstown to the River Liffey.
The position on the section between Cross Guns Bridge (5th Lock) and Liffey Junction (7th Lock) is as follows:
Dredging of accumulated spoil and rubbish from the 5th lock to Shandon Mills (6th Lock) was completed last month. Four derelict barges were also removed.
Work on installation of new lock gates and lock chamber restoration at the 6th lock has been underway for some months and is due for completion in a few weeks. The 7th lock was restored last year and the 5th lock at Cross Guns Bridge has also been restored.
The remaining large scale engineering project on this stretch is the dredging of the area between the 6th lock and the 7th lock. This is due to commence later this month and, depending on factors such as volume of spoil and rubbish for removal, access problems and disposal arrangements, should be completed by early summer.
The removal of the derelict railway bridge is also being arranged.
