Vol. 558 No. 3
98 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Finance if the pedestrian walk along the River Nore at Bishop's Meadow/Riverside Drive, Kilkenny, can be maintained and kept clear during the work being undertaken as part of the Nore drainage scheme; if the overgrowth can be cut; if the pathway can be kept clear; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24183/02]
Due to ongoing construction activity on the River Nore Kilkenny city drainage scheme, access to the existing pedestrian pathway along the riverbank in the vicinity of Bishop's Meadow/Riverside Drive has been closed from the location of the new weir to the downstream extent of the pathway. The new weir is under construction and the riverbank downstream of the new weir is being used as the construction access route.
The pathway upstream of the new weir is open to the public and will remain so until next spring, at which time sections of the meadow are to be filled. As a result of the filling operations, it will be necessary to close the existing pathway through Bishop's Meadow. The pathway will be restored and reopened for use when all the relevant works are completed and it is in order to do so from a public safety point of view.
