Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021
326. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the project his Department is rolling out on a phased basis for the Ulster Canal in Clones, County Monaghan. [23249/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraUlster Canal Restoration Phases
Phase 1 of the Ulster Canal restoration project is complete. This involved the restoration of a 2.5 km stretch of the Ulster Canal from Upper Lough Erne in County Fermanagh to the International Scout Centre at Castle Saunderson near Belturbet in Co. Cavan. The navigation channel on the River Finn up to Castle Saunderson is now open to waterway users, the channel having been dredged where required. Approximately 1 km downstream of Castle Saunderson a new navigation bridge has been constructed beside Derrykerrib Bridge, together with a new short lateral canal. The Cavan County Council site at Castle Saunderson is now accessible by water through the provision of a new floating public jetty by Waterways Ireland.
Phase 2 of the Ulster Canal (Clones to Clonfad) will comprise:
Phase two of the Ulster Canal restoration focuses on the restoration of the canal between Clones and Clonfad in County Monaghan and includes;
- New canal basin with capacity for 40 berths, (water recreation park) at Clones,
- Slipway,
- Service Block with toilets & showers,
- Tourism and Recreation facilities,
- New access bridge(s),
- Circa 1km of new canal with towpaths,
- 1.5km looped Walking and Cycling route along banks of canal,
- Refurbishment of existing masonry arch bridge,
- Reimagined public realm & amenity area with parking.
€12.2m in funding for Phase 2 has been provided from a combination of the Shared Island Fund and from the Rural Regeneration & Development Fund (RRDF) and works should commence this Summer.
Phase 3 of the Ulster Canal (Clonfad to Castle Saunderson) is a 10km stretch of the canal through Fermanagh and Monaghan which will link Phases 1 and 2 together. This will complete access from Clones to the River Shannon via Lough Erne and the Shannon-Erne Waterway system thus attracting visiting craft and their occupants to Clones from the connected Waterways Ireland network from destinations as far away as Limerick and the Barrow in the south-east.
In December 2020, the Shared Island Unit awarded €1m towards additional works to develop outline designs and revisit cost estimates and delivery timelines for this phase. This work is advancing.
