Eamon Ryan
Ceist:100 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the work done to date by Waterways Ireland; and the way in which it is proposed to progress this work. [17723/03]
Written Answers. - Inland Waterways.
Waterways Ireland, a North-South Implementation Body established under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of inland navigable waterways throughout Ireland, principally for recreational purposes. The waterways under the remit of the body are the Barrow navigation, the Erne system, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann navigation, the Royal Canal, the Shannon-Erne waterway and the Shannon navigation.
Since its establishment in 1999, Waterways Ireland has undertaken a number of design projects, including replacement of a swinging bridge at Milford, supply of piles and floating moorings at Ballyconnell and Shannon Harbour, lightweight fill alternatives at Cloonbreany Bog, County Longford, provision of a retaining wall at Bagenalstown and the development of new facilities at Ballinasloe. County Galway. Major capital project works have been carried out to improve the navigational infrastructure at Keshcarrigan on the Shannon-Erne waterway; Boyle, County Roscommon; Limerick city; Ballinasloe, County Galway; and Spencer Harbour on the Shannon navigation. Restoration of the Royal Canal continued with the construction of a new bridge adjacent to Pake Bridge, County Longford, and the reconstruction of bog embankments through Cloonbreany Bog, County Longford. At Ballyconnell, on the Shannon-Erne waterway, works were carried out to extend the existing public mooring.
In the context of the national development plan, Waterways Ireland will continue to upgrade facilities along the Shannon navigation, continue the provision of facilities and complete the dredging and reconstruction programme along the Grand Canal and Barrow navigation, and complete the reconstruction of the Royal Canal to reopen it to the Shannon as resources permit.
Further ongoing projects include work on the provision of a marina and harbour at Ballyleague, County Roscommon; the extension of moorings at Scarriff quay, County Clare; additional moorings at Shannonbridge, County Offaly; and the reconstruction of canal embankments on the Royal Canal through Begnagh Bog, County Offaly. In the North, proposals have been agreed for developing the navigational infrastructure on the Erne system and the Lower Bann navigation by developing new jetties, installing new markers and point moorings, upgrading pump-out facilities and improving signage.
The Deputy will also be aware that, under the terms of the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, Waterways Ireland was charged with examining the possible restoration and development of the Ulster Canal. Waterways Ireland commissioned a feasibility study into the re-opening of the Ulster Canal, which estimated the cost to be in the region of sterling £90 million based on year 2000 figures. This report was passed to the then Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands and to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, DCAL, in the North which co-spon sors the body. In March 2002, DCAL requested that the consultants be asked to clarify a number of aspects of the report, mainly in relation to economic assumptions and social needs. This was received in June 2002. Subsequently it was decided to commission a further report, at modest cost, to further explore various funding options that might be available. This report has recently come to hand and is under examination in the sponsoring Departments. No decision has been made as to whether to proceed with the restoration of the canal.
Question No. 101 answered with Question No. 90.