Brendan Smith calls for re-energised investment in inland waterways

Thank you very much. Firstly, could I congratulate the Ministers on their appointments and wish them well and important work that they will be doing on behalf of all of us over the next number of years. Minister, as you are well aware, our inland waterways are a huge natural resource. We want to ensure that we maximise those for the potential of our own people and visitors to our country. There was substantial investment in our inland waterways in the 1990s and the early 2000s, and I believe it is a time now where we need to re-energise the whole inland waterways investment programme. and ensure that we protect the investment that has already been made, and prepare our inland waterways for greater traffic movements as well. An ongoing investment and protecting the infrastructure that is already there. Thank you. Minister. It is okay with the Deputy, I would intend to take PQs 12 and 19 together, if that is okay, they are both related. Waterways Ireland's work programme are critical to providing a safe and high-quality recreation environment for the public, whilst also preserving industrial and environmental heritage of the waterways for future generations. These challenges must be balanced with its objective of increasing recreational activity across all of our waterways. The estimates for 2020 are provided for an allocation of £25.6 million for Waterways Ireland, made up of £21.2 million in the current funding and £4.38 in capital funding. This is an overall increase of £546,000 on the original 2019 allocation. The funding of Waterways Ireland for 2020 is for investment in the management, maintenance and development of inland waterways under its control. Any proposed works to be carried out in 2021 are an operational matter for Waterways Ireland, which will take into account its strategic business objectives for the waterways network. Additional funding from Waterways Ireland in 2020 is not complicated by the estimates process, and it will, like other agencies under my remit, need to live within its capital allocation. As Minister, I have many competing and compelling requests for funding in 2021. I am acutely aware of the value of our inland waterways amenity and its excellent work that Waterways Ireland carries out. Of particular importance is the strong community and business outreach and partnership policy that the organisation has implemented to engage with and deliver services for communities adjacent to Waterways to create social, recreational, health and economic benefits. The inland waterways are also an intrinsic part of the island's tourism attractions, and Waterways Ireland plays a key role in their marketing and promotion. Thank you, Minister. I thank the Minister for his reply. Minister, could I just say that over the past number of years it is a source of concern to me, and I am sure you will come across it yourself when you have the opportunity to meet the various representative bodies, that there has been a decline in both movements and some of our inland waterways. We want to assure that we arrest a decline in the number of people using our waterways. Minister, when infrastructure is used it needs ongoing investment, it needs ongoing maintenance, be it in the whole area of bank repairs, wheel repairs, jetty repairs, dredging, and of course we would also like to see further development in the whole area of cycle blueways, which were a relatively recent development. So those are areas, Minister, that I would like you and your department to fight hard to provide the necessary funding to ensure that we have additional capital investment in inland waterways activities. It is an all Ireland body. We are very fortunate that our waterways are under the remit of Waterways Ireland, which is the all Ireland body. And I think it would be a clear message in regard to re-energising the whole areas that have an all Ireland remit, that we are anxious to develop those and realise the potential there for the benefit of our people from a recreational point of view, from the benefit of increasing tourism, and for the benefit of attracting more visitors to our country. Minister. Thank you. Again, I couldn't agree more with the deputy, and certainly it is the objective of our department to work very closely with Waterways Ireland to achieve the priorities that Deputy Smith has outlined. And indeed, you know, I visited a fantastic project up on Lock Allen, run by Waterways Ireland last week, and it was just incredible to see the resource there and the use of it. And I think it is particularly pertinent during these COVID times that these resources are available for communities. I think they have been a lifeline for people for their mental health and wellbeing, and I do think that that priority in the discussions I have had with Waterways Ireland will be forthcoming in their 10-year plan. I also want to see advancement on the issue for liver boards and for the canal network here in Dublin on the Grand and Royal Canal. I think that is really important. I think there will be a positive engagement in that regard over the next number of weeks and months. Thank you. Deputy. Thank you, Minister. I am familiar with the Drumshambo development. It is a credit to everybody, Waterways Ireland, the local community, the local statutory agencies as well in the development of that great facility. Minister Martin and myself would have a particular interest in the restoration of the Ulster Canal. Some work has been done, and I think it is essential that this year that there is further development in preparing outline designs and preliminary investigatory work in order to facilitate the preparation of estimates for the restoration of a section of the Ulster Canal in County Monaghan. It is a project that can be done incrementally, and I think each year we need to be moving that project on, getting more work done, and it has powerful potential again to make more of our country provided with navigable waterways. The restoration of the Ulster Canal has a long-standing commitment, going back quite a number of years between the Executive of Northern Ireland and our own government. So I would hope, Minister, that before the end of this year that you are able to give a commitment that that project will be progressed further. It has fabulous potential. It is an important all-Ireland project as well, and at a time like this we want to send out the clear messages that we are developing this economy, we are carrying out developments and projects on an all-Ireland basis. Thanks, Deputy. Minister? Yes, again, I just want to thank Deputy Smith for keeping this item on the agenda. I think it is really important, and I absolutely agree. I agree with the contention too that it should be incremental, because these are capital-intensive projects. As I said at the outset, budgets are limited and constrained, but I am absolutely very encouraged by the positive engagement we have had with Waterways Ireland. Again, very early days for me to get fully up to speed on all these issues, but I do think that there is a huge opportunity within their upcoming planning process around that to increase that usage, to increase the recreational advantage, the biodiversity values of our inland waterways, and really as a recreational resource for the entire community, particularly, as I said, as we live through these very challenging times, because they are an amazing resource to local communities. I saw the tourism value even in local shops and bakeries at Drumshambo last week, so that can be replicated right throughout the country, and I really want to see that happen. Thank you.