Vol. 511 No. 2
51 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason Subhead T.I for inland waterways has only a token estimate of £200,000 for 2000; the reason the Subhead T.2 for waterways is estimated at £12.471 million; and the expected expenditure in 2000. [23711/99]
The total Estimate for 2000 in respect of inland waterways is £12,473,000 which compares with an Estimate of £9,696,000 for 1999. As the Deputy is aware, the T Subhead was divided earlier this year into T1 and T2 to allow for the financing of Waterways Ireland, a North-South implementation body for inland waterways to be established under the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999 and which is to come into force when the Northern Ireland Executive is set up.
It is essential to provide the mechanism in the 2000 Estimate for the funding of Waterways Ireland but, as the start-up date remains uncertain, it was decided that at this stage a token provision only should be made in T1 for the expenditure that will arise in respect of maintenance-development of the inland waterways. This will be adjusted when the position in relation to Waterways Ireland becomes more clear.
