Tony Gregory
Ceist:147 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the timescale for the renewal of the Dublin city section of the Royal Canal from Newcomen Bridge to Russell Street, Dublin 1. [26423/99]
Written Answers. - Inland Waterways.
A programme of landscaping work has been jointly agreed, in principle, between my Department and Dublin Corporation which will cover two pilot areas on the Grand and Royal Canals, Dublin. The Royal Canal section covers the area from Newcomen Bridge to Russell Street Bridge, and the Grand Canal section is from Portobello to Harolds Cross Bridge. A firm of landscape architects has been appointed to undertake the design and supervision of these schemes. I understand that presentation drawings will be shortly submitted to the corporation and to my Department for approval. It is expected that work will begin next year in both pilot areas and that the programme of works will be phased over a three year period.
As the Deputy is aware, the section of the Royal Canal adjacent to Russell Street Bridge has been closed to the public to facilitate the construction of the new canal end stand at Croke Park. It is hoped that the navigation can be reopened at this point by April 2000.