Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Oct 1995

Vol. 456 No. 5

Written Answers. - Canal Funding.

James Leonard

Question:

71 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the funding allocated for the last year for which records are available to the maintenance and construction of canals; and the canals which have benefited. [14198/95]

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

I assume the Deputy's question relates to all inland waterways for which I have responsibility.

Total expenditure by the Exchequer during the year ended 31 December 1994 was £6.868 million. Of this amount £3.66 million was spent on maintenance and operation of the waterways and £3.208 million was spent on capital works on the construction and improvement of the waterways.

The waterways which benefited were the Shannon Navigation, including the Shannon-Erne Waterway, the Grand Canal, the Barrow Navigation and the Royal Canal.

In addition to the Exchequer expenditure I understand that a total of £2.5 million was spent by Canal Construction Limited in respect of work to the Shannon-Erne Waterway.