According to the Irish Times of 27 August 2016
Fáilte Ireland has tendered [sic] for a company to help it develop a new tourism strategy for the swathe of land running down the middle of Ireland that falls outside the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East, the two linchpins of the State’s tourism marketing strategy.
The area, generally referred to in tourism marketing circles as “Ireland’s Lakelands” district, takes in parts of east Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim, much of north Tipperary, and runs down as far as the northern reaches of Cork. […]
The tender made no mention of the Lakelands moniker, but Ms Carroll [of Fáilte Ireland] […] said the Lakelands term, which is also used in the Programme for Government’s tourism strategy, may not end up being the final slogan that is used for the region.
I wonder what that does for Waterways Ireland’s Lakelands & Inland Waterways marketing and product development Initiative and what it says about the success of the Lakelands Strategic Plan [PDF]. I note too that the Irish Times refers to “the State’s tourism marketing strategy” whereas WI’s initiative was a cross-border one and included the Erne as well as the Shannon.
Irish waterways history 
What a load of Guff.
So much could be done for both the canal and River system .This appears to be the usual ill informed approach which results in a feasibility study that is never read and never implemented ( Probably just as well ) as would be more money wasted.
Fáilte Ireland’s interests are, I presume, broader than those of Waterways Ireland, and it would be nice if WI did not have to worry about Abbeyleix and the Slieve Bloom hills. bjg