Vol. 510 No. 1
130 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the restoration works completed on the Royal Canal in County Westmeath; the costs in this regard; the works to be completed to re-open the canal to Clondra, County Longford; the cost of those works; and the timeframe for this project. [21943/99]
The restoration works on the Royal Canal in County Westmeath have included the reconstruction of Moran's Bridge, Mullingar, the replacement of lock gates at locks 18-38 inclusive, the dredging of approximately 29 miles of canal channel, the reconstruction of bog embankments and the removal of obstructions to navigation such as footbridges and pipe crossings. The restoration has also included ancillary works such as the provision of moorings and potable water. The costings for canal restoration works have not been recorded on a county basis.
The works to be completed to re-open the Royal Canal to Clondra, County Longford include the replacement of six road bridges and two Bord na Móna crossings, the replacement of lock gates at locks 39-46 inclusive and the reconstruction of bog embankments. Additional sustainable water supplies will also have to be sourced to maintain the Royal Canal as a navigable system. The preliminary estimated cost of completing the restoration of the Royal Canal to Clondra is £10-£12 million and the timescale involved would be four to five years.
I hope that the completion of the Royal Canal can be included in the National Development Plan. However, as the plan has not yet been finalised, I am not in a position to give a commitment in relation to this or any other project at the present time.
