Tag Archives: insurance

Canals and popery

Posted on Wednesday 18 October 2017 | Leave a comment

Between 1768 and 1774

… means were devised to provide secure investment facilities for Catholics in projects of national and public utility, which at the same time left the whole system of the popery laws intact.

The earliest example I have found of this opening of the back door to Catholic investment was an act of 1768 for improving navigation between Limerick and Killaloe. To encourage Catholics to invest in the enterprise all shares were to be regarded as ‘personal estate and not subject to any of the laws to prevent the growth of popery’. Thus the indirect ownership of land involved in such investment would not be at the mercy of Protestant discoverers.

A blanket concession on similar lines was given in 1772 to Catholic shareholders in all inland navigation companies and in insurance companies. The fact that these acts now made it possible for Catholics to become shareholders and sometimes directors in such companies as the Grand Canal Company, must have served to break down segregation barriers to some slight extent.

Maureen Wall “Catholics in Economic Life” in L M Cullen ed The Formation of the Irish Economy The Mercier Press, Cork 1969, rp 1976

Risk

Posted on Monday 10 December 2012 | 2 comments

Yesterday’s Sunday Business Post had an article headed “Liberty Mutual move to push up business insurance costs” [paywall, alas, but the Irish Times mentions it briefly here. Messrs Liberty don’t seem to say anything about it on tinterweb, but perhaps you may wish to spend longer searching than I did].

Liberty took over a commercial insurance business from Quinn; it feels that “Quinn’s commercial business is unsustainable and under-priced” [SBP]. Accordingly, it is raising prices for many types of business and requiring a minimum premium of €1000 for all commercial policies and a minimum of €5000 in “high hazard trades”.

Furthermore, it is withdrawing altogether from 37 lines of business including:

abattoirs
children’s activity centres
civil engineers
contract cleaners
fishing trawlers
go-karting and quad biking businesses
manufacture of paint, varnish and polishes
nightclubs
public swimming pools
riding schools
roofing contractors
sawmills
waste disposal and recycling
window cleaning.

This is not of immediate relevance to Irish waterways, at least as far as I can see, although children’s activity centres might include some waterways-based centres. Furthermore, the SBP’s list is not exhaustive and there is the possibility that reductions in competition and higher insurance costs will spread to the waterways (if they haven’t already). Making it more difficult for small new businesses to start up, or existing businesses to survive, won’t benefit the waterways.

Is there a case for tort reform in Ireland?

attempt to assess and either eliminate or insure against all risks

2 Comments

Posted in Economic activities, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Operations, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged activities, insurance, Ireland, Operations, risk, tort, waterways

Where are the boats?

Posted on Thursday 6 December 2012 | Leave a comment

Learned Readers will be aware that you can moor cheaply for the winter in a Waterways Ireland Shannon harbour; see Marine Notive 111/2012 about half way down this page.

Now, anyone paying commercial rates in a Shannon marina will tell you that WI’s charges represent extremely good value: cheaper even than a year’s canals permit.

But I have noted recently that there seem to be only four boats in Dromineer for the winter). Pottering about today, I found Portumna Castle Harbour deserted.

Portumna Castle Harbour December 2012

Terryglass had more boats, but most of them are on the county council’s jetty with only seven on the Waterways Ireland extension.

Terryglass December 2012

There were only four boats on the west bank below the bridge in Portumne. There were a few more in Connaught Harbour, but all in all the numbers were lower than I had expected. And I don’t think they’re in Shannon Harbour, which seemed to have fewer boats than usual.

So have boat-owners found that their insurers won’t cover them if they are not in supervised marinas, or out of the water, for the winter? Are private marinas, especially those that can haul boats out of the water, more crowded than usual? Or has the number of boats decreased even more drastically than I had imagined?

I don’t know. Readers’ observations welcome.

WI extended mooring permits

Posted on Monday 12 November 2012 | 3 comments

A Waterways Ireland press release has winged its way to my desk. If you want a permit (or licence?) you must provide a copy of your insurance and pay a damage deposit.

The full thing:

Waterways Ireland announced in June 2012 a change in the permit system allowing for year-long mooring permits on the Grand & Royal Canal and Barrow Navigation. The full list of Extended Mooring Locations has been published and is available on www.waterwaysireland.org, in the Canal Bye-Law Enforcement section.

The first four [for certain values of four. bjg] locations where the permits for extended mooring are being opened for application are Shannon Harbour on the Grand Canal, Rathangan and Vicarstown on the Barrow Line and Barrow Navigation, Clondra (East of Richmond Harbour), Confey and the 15^th lock on the Royal Canal.

The application process for the Extended Mooring Permit for these locations will open on the 19^th November and will remain open for 2 weeks. Boat owners with boats in the four locations with Combined Mooring and Passage Permits will be advised by letter. The Application Form and Guidance Notes for all applicants will be placed on www.waterwaysireland.org. The applicant is required to complete an application form, supply a copy of their insurance, certify that the boat complies with the byelaws and pay the €152 fee and a damage deposit of €250.

Permits will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so to receive a preferred location early applications are advised. Applications will only be accepted from owners already holding a valid annual Combined Mooring and Passage Permit. Boat owners without a Combined Mooring & Passage Permit who wish to apply for an Extended Mooring Permit can do so by ticking the box on the Extended Mooring Application Form and supplying the additional fee.

Applicants will be notified within 28 days of the success of their application. Successful applicants will be required to sign the Extended Mooring Permit license and will then have a period in which to move to their new mooring. Enforcement of the 5 day rule will begin in this area following the issue of a Marine Notice.

Applications for the next set of Extended Mooring Locations will continue on a rolling basis thereafter with Waterways Ireland intention to open sufficient locations to cover demand on all of the canals by the end of March 2013.

Boats that cruise and move (staying at a mooring for up to 5 days) will not require an Extended Mooring Permit or be in breach of the Bye-laws.

Waterways Ireland will continue to contact permit holders regularly to ensure they are kept up to date with the roll-out of the new permit. All queries about the enforcement of the current bye-laws or the Extended Mooring Permit should be directed to Shane Anderson, Assistant Inspector of Navigation: Tel no +353 (0)87 286 5726, Email shane.anderson@waterwaysireland.org.

These changes are necessary steps to improve the management of the canals and waterway amenities for both the navigational and recreational user, so that investment in the new infrastructure and facilities which Waterways Ireland has undertaken is maximised for every user.