Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 February 2019
14. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the capital spending in 2018; the funding allocated to Waterways Ireland; the projects undertaken by Waterways Ireland with the allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8679/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraWaterways Ireland is co-funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The current expenditure of the body is funded 85% by my Department and 15% by the Department for Infrastructure which reflects the distribution of the navigable waterways in each jurisdiction. Capital expenditure is funded 100% in the jurisdiction in which the capital works are carried out.
Capital spending by Waterways Ireland in 2018 within this jurisdiction totalled €7,767,325. Of this amount, €2,587,325 was contributed from Waterways Ireland’s Reserves. These, as the Deputy knows, are the accumulation of proceeds from disposal of property and receipts from third party funded projects and are used to fund additional works.
The amount of funding allocated to Waterways Ireland from my Department's Vote for 2018 was €25,706,000 made up of €20,526,000 in Current and €5,180,000 in Capital.
The projects undertaken by Waterways Ireland in 2018 comprised a wide diversity of works with the overall objective of maintaining and indeed extending the waterways network.
For example, the largest expenditure of €1,605,934 was for maintenance of plant and machinery on the waterways. these are essential to the smooth operation of the navigations, the upkeep of the waterways, especially the canals, and the development of the general amenity of the Canal network.
€1,133,846 was spent on works on the Ulster Canal and €598,492 was used to develop the Rooskey Works Depot. This is an important new extension and the Deputy will appreciate its significance in a North South context and indeed in a Brexit context.
I will furnish the Deputy with a complete list of all Waterways Irelands 2018 Capital Projects. As the Deputy will see, there is a considerable emphasis too on the Blueway extension programme and some very ambitious objectives in that regard are being realised. Much capital investment too was focussed on the built heritage of the canal and waterways network and that indeed is to be welcomed too. The effort expended by Waterways Ireland in terms of flood mitigation works on the Shannon, in co-operation with the OPW is also especially important.
In 2018, Waterways Ireland focused on delivering its core activities and maintaining front line services. Waterways Ireland concentrated the resources available on the areas of navigation which receive the highest levels of use. A key goal for Waterways Ireland is to increase the use of the inland waterways. The number of registered users at the end of December 2018 was 15,539 with 95% of waters navigable during the boating season (mid-March to October).
Waterways Ireland Capital Projects 2018
|
Plant & Machinery |
1,605,934 |
|
Ulster Canal |
1,133,846 |
|
Rooskey Works Depot |
598,492 |
|
Royal Canal Completion Commissioning |
365,118 |
|
Lock Gate Replacem't Progr |
253,403 |
|
Victoria Lock Gate Replacement |
191,560 |
|
Cloydagh Bank Repair & Drdging |
186,300 |
|
Jetty Refurbishment |
181,785 |
|
Culvert Inspections and Commence Repai |
178,822 |
|
Bank Strengthening at Blackshade Bridg |
175,192 |
|
Bridge Repairs |
166,635 |
|
Grand Canal Dock Works |
166,116 |
|
Nth Shannon B'way Phase 3 TP |
133,187 |
|
Auto Pedestrian Counter |
119,971 |
|
Clarendon Lock Floating |
119,342 |
|
Blundell Aqueduct to 20th Lock Bank St |
119,122 |
|
IT Capital South |
105,891 |
|
Balroe Bank Strengthening |
102,260 |
|
Royal Canal Cycleway Maynooth to Kilco |
100,984 |
|
Borris Dredging |
82,833 |
|
Rooskey Lock Gates |
77,513 |
|
Bank Strengthening and Repair Lecarrow |
72,648 |
|
Navigation Land Recover |
72,622 |
|
Royal Canal Completion Commissioning |
67,986 |
|
20th Lockhouse Ballyteigue |
67,464 |
|
Shannon-Erne Blueway Balyconnell to Be |
65,601 |
|
Milford Sluice Safe Gangway |
65,555 |
|
Royal Canal Cycleway Ferns Lock to Mul |
65,144 |
|
Albert Lock gates preparation work for |
64,951 |
|
Specialist Inspections |
61,631 |
|
Leakage Repairs Lvl 13 GC |
60,692 |
|
Barrowline Dredging |
60,333 |
|
Darcy's Bridge Dredging |
54,896 |
|
Blackshade Bridge |
52,842 |
|
Limerick preparation for Dredging in 2 |
50,399 |
|
Ballina Quay Landing Jetty |
50,054 |
|
Killaloe Canal Wall Mooring Walkway |
49,791 |
|
Barrow Way Towpath Dev |
45,082 |
|
Athlone Lock gates Investigation and R |
44,287 |
|
City Block 19 |
40,841 |
|
Lock C1-C3 Path Upgrades |
33,539 |
|
Tarmonbarry Weir Reinstatement |
30,000 |
|
Charlotte Quay |
27,024 |
|
Areas of Tranquility |
26,117 |
|
Meelick Weir/Sluice Condition survey |
24,106 |
|
Mullingar Blueway Development |
23,176 |
|
IT & ASSET MGT SYSTEM - SOUTH |
20,826 |
|
Barrow Weir Studies |
20,295 |
|
Grouting 12th Lock Grand |
19,420 |
|
Clondra Amenity |
19,378 |
|
Longford Cycleway |
17,963 |
|
SE Blueway Lock 16 to Kilclare |
15,098 |
|
Development Mullingar Hub |
14,324 |
|
Lock 14 Grouting |
13,616 |
|
Improv' Grand Canal Dock |
13,560 |
|
Portumna Development Project |
13,240 |
|
Castlesaunderson New Mooring |
12,385 |
|
Lough Owel Sluice House Development |
11,082 |
|
Lough Allen |
8,567 |
|
Rooskey Floating Moorings |
8,127 |
|
Dredging |
7,946 |
|
Blakestown Lockhouse |
7,626 |
|
ALBERT LOCKHOUSE |
6,925 |
|
Automation Poolboy Lock |
5,559 |
|
Aghalane to Lock 1 Corraquill Trail Ex |
5,368 |
|
Battlebridge Lockhouse Capital |
5,166 |
|
Youngs Store Tullamore |
5,166 |
|
Fenniscourt Lockhouse |
5,166 |
|
Slyguff Lockhouse |
5,166 |
|
Shannon Blueway Carrick to Boyle |
5,162 |
|
Sallins Houseboat Facility |
4,935 |
|
Banagher preparation for Dredging in 2 |
4,619 |
|
Red Bridge Moorings |
4,428 |
|
Bagenalstown Retaining Wall |
4,397 |
|
Portumna Blueway Castle Harbour |
3,907 |
|
Bank & Weir Upgrades |
3,888 |
|
Pumpout and Water Services Canal Netwo |
3,838 |
|
Victoria Lock House |
3,383 |
|
Repair Wing Wall Lock 18 GC |
2,755 |
|
Rathvinden Wall replacement |
2,661 |
|
Clashganny Lockhouse Development |
2,589 |
|
Dredging |
2,589 |
|
Visitor Centre Roof Repairs and Rental |
2,463 |
|
Property Registration Legal Fees |
1,672 |
|
Limerick Navigation |
1,565 |
|
GreenWIN |
1,378 |
|
Ballinea Harbour North Bank |
1,348 |
|
Towpath Enhancement |
1,348 |
|
Spencer Harbour Landbridge |
1,124 |
|
Infrastructure Upgrade |
935 |
|
Upgrade pumps Spencer Docks |
795 |
|
Inner Lakes Canoe Trail |
615 |
|
Northern Signage |
430 |
|
Shannon Blueway Carrick to Drumshanbo |
298 |
|
Ballyleague Angling Facilities |
265 |
|
Canoe Trail Feasability Study |
262 |
|
Athlone Railway Jetties |
256 |
|
Lockhouse refurb EGR |
130 |
|
Lough Derg Canoe Trail |
98 |
|
Thomastown Retaining Wall |
73 |
|
Shannonbridge New Moorings |
42 |
|
Moorings at Ballinasloe |
24 |
|
Total Spend net of third party funding |
7,767,325 |
|
DCHG Sponsor Department funding |
5,180,000 |
|
WI use of Reserves |
2,587,325 |
|
Total |
7,767,325 |
