Vol. 534 No. 4
98 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the plans he has to develop angling on the rivers Lerr, Greese and Barrow and on the Grand Canal in County Kildare in view of the enormous tourist value of such developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10944/01]
The Rivers Lerr, Greese and the Grand Canal, Barrow line, are located in the River Barrow catchment and statutory responsibility for development of these fisheries lies with the Southern Regional Fisheries Board. In 1998 the southern board established a Barrow catchment management group consisting of representatives of a wide range of organisations including local authorities, Waterways Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency, farming, tourism and angling groups.
In 2000, I made £200,000 additional funding available through the southern board to develop the Barrow catchment management process. With this funding the board informs me that a considerable amount of fisheries habitat improvement works were undertaken including instream works, remedial works on eroding river banks and improvement of spawning areas and juvenile fish habitat. I am making further funding available for catchment management projects in the regions this year.
Under the Tourism Angling Measure, 1994 to 1999, a total of £25,000 was approved for fisheries developments by the southern board on the River Barrow and a further £432,000 was approved for fisheries developments by the Office of Public Works on the Royal and Grand Canals. Under the National Development Plan, 2000 to 2006, a total of £24 million is available for tourism and recreational angling in the regions. When this measure is operational, applications for funding will be invited from fisheries boards and other public and private interests.
