Vol. 525 No. 1
162 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will assure residents of the Shannon Basin that water levels on the Shannon are being monitored; if her Department, along with the ESB, are in a position to reduce these levels should flooding threaten residents in the Shannon basin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23688/00]
I have no function in relation to monitoring water levels on the Shannon.
Waterways Ireland, a North-South body established under the British Irish Agreement, has statutory responsibility for the management, control and maintenance of the River Shannon for navigation purposes.
I understand from Waterways Ireland that while it and the ESB hold strongly that the controls operated by both parties do not impact on flood levels on the Shannon, they have agreed shortly to commission a joint study for the purpose of providing independent third party verification in the matter. The study will examine the management of water levels on the Shannon, by both Waterways Ireland and the ESB, for navigation and electricity generation purposes, and assess the impact, if any, of this operational regime on flood levels.
