I mentioned the Northern Ireland budget and its effects on Waterways Ireland here; Nelson McCausland [DUP] gives an overview of the effects on DCAL here, including this:
The North/South language bodies and Waterways Ireland, while outside the scope of this budget reduction exercise, will see their budgets fall by over £1 million collectively, as agreed at the relevant North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) meetings.
I am grateful to Waterways Ireland for sending me the Shannon traffic figures for the last three months of 2014. They sent them last month but I didn’t have time to deal with them until now.
All the usual caveats apply:
On the other hand, the figures do include the Shannon’s most significant tourism activity, the cruiser hire business. And they are our only consistent long-term indicator of usage of the inland waterways.
Total (private + hired) traffic for the full year
As we saw in September, traffic is down on 2013, but there has been little change over the last three years.
Private-boat traffic for the full years 2003 to 2014
The vertical scale on this chart is different from that for hired boats so the changes in private boating from one year to another are exaggerated (by comparison). The good weather did not prevent a fall in activity.
Hire-boat traffic for the full years 2003 to 2014
Again, the lowest figure in my records, but the drop was small; perhaps the hire trade is bouncing along the bottom (as it were). I wonder whether anyone has a Grand Plan for recovery or rejuvenation.
Percentages of 2003 levels
Private traffic at just over 90% of 2003 levels, hire traffic at just over 40%.
Still roughly 50:50
In the five months January, February, March, November and December, there were 385 passages altogether, less than 1% of total boat movements for the year. If money can be saved by ceasing to operate the locks and bridge during the winter, they should be closed except, perhaps, for one Saturday per month, to be arranged for a non-flood day.
Here is the order of popularity.
| ALBERT LOCK | 7205 |
| ATHLONE LOCK | 5775 |
| CLARENDON LOCK | 5650 |
| ROOSKY LOCK | 5565 |
| PORTUMNA BRIDGE | 5395 |
| VICTORIA LOCK | 4934 |
| TARMONBARRY LOCK | 3885 |
| POLLBOY LOCK | 1222 |
| CLONDRA LOCK | 1020 |
| BATTLEBRIDGE | 835 |
| DRUMLEAGUE | 797 |
| DRUMSHANBO LOCK | 387 |
| SARSFIELD LOCK | 97 |
Lough Allen is a delightful place but it is not popular.
Posted in Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Operations, Restoration and rebuilding, Shannon, Sources, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management, Weather
Tagged Albert Lock, Athlone, Battlebridge, boats, bridge, canal, Clarendon lock, Clondra, Drumleague, Drumshanbo, floods, Ireland, Jamestown, Limerick, lock, Lough Allen, Lough Derg, Lough Key, Meelick, Operations, Portumna, Rooskey, Roosky, Sarsfield, Shannon, Tarmonbarry, Victoria, waterways, Waterways Ireland, Wellesley
Some links to info about the Castle Saunderson estate, to which DCAL is trying to persuade DAHG to construct a sheugh.
Cavan County Council owns it, I think.
There is an International Scout Centre, although I’m not clear whether the scouts occupy the entire site or just part of it. For instance, do they control the church where services take place, at least occasionally?
There was an Orange parade to the site last year.
It is close to Belturbet, where the County Council has a River Project. Was that completed?
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Tourism, Ulster Canal, Uncategorized, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged Belturbet, Castle Saunderson, Cavan, Clones, Erne, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways Ireland
Sammy Wilson [DUP]: Looking through the list of capital projects, I see lock gates on the Shannon, bridge repairs on the Grand canal, enhancements of the Grand canal towpath, the Shannon Blueway and the multi-activity trail at Carrick-on-Shannon. Nearly every one of these projects is in the Irish Republic. Does the Minister see her role as fighting for projects in Northern Ireland or simply sitting there, handing over our money for projects in the Irish Republic?
Mr Wilson might not have noticed, during his terms in ministerial office, that waterways capital projects in each jurisdiction are paid for by the government of that jurisdiction. So NI money is not spent on capital projects in the republic; if NI politicians want more money spent on waterways improvements [as opposed to running costs] in Northern Ireland, it will have to come from the NI budget.
Unfortunately Mr Wilson’s party colleague, and successor as Minister of Finance and Personnel, Simon Hamilton, does not share Mr Wilson’s enthusiasm for erecting lock gates or towing-paths on the Erne [or whatever it was he wanted], for he has cut DCAL’s Budget [157-page NI budget and 28-page statement, both PDFs] and, in consequence, the amounts to be allocated to Waterways Ireland.
DCAL is wondering how to apply the chopper and is seeking views; a 190-page consultation document can be downloaded here [MS Word *.doc]. Neither DFP nor DCAL makes it easy to find the change from last year’s allocations, but DCAL says that the “savings” to be made by Waterways Ireland will be £468,000. As of today, that’s €630,727.
The Word document points out that
The budgets for the North/South Bodies are agreed by the North South Ministerial Council and are dealt with under different arrangements. They are therefore outside the scope of this exercise.
So the document can’t say what the “front-line impact” of the cuts to Waterways Ireland’s allocation will be.
15% of WI’s current budget is paid by Northern Ireland and 85% by the republic. If the savings shown above are all to the current budget [which is not clear, though WI’s NI capital budget was pretty small anyway], then the total cut in WI’s current spending will be €5,204,847.
Note again that, without spending a lot more time on this than I currently have available, I cannot say from what base figure the cuts or savings are to be made.
Respondents to DCAL’s November 2014 consultation on the draft budget included only one who discussed waterways:
There was one response who stated that other sectors should be cut and funding to Waterways Ireland should be increased.
That was from an individual; it appears that no organisations commented on waterways issues and I cannot see any inland waterways-related voluntary body listed amongst those who submitted their views. As in the republic, arts folk seem to have been well organised.
The DCAL page contains a link to a surveymonkey page seeking responses.
Posted in Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Ireland, Operations, People, Politics, Tourism, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged budget, cuts, dcal, department of culture arts and leisure, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Operations, waterways, Waterways Ireland
The invaluable KildareStreet.com tells us of this written Dáil question and answer on 4 February 2015:
Martin Heydon [FG, Kildare South]: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to concerns regarding the lack of dredging on the lateral canals of the River Barrow and overgrown vegetation which is making navigation difficult; her plans to improve this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The lateral canal at Ardree on the Barrow [OSI ~1840]
Heather Humphreys [FG, Clones Sheugh]: I am advised by Waterways Ireland that, as the Barrow Navigation is wholly situated within the River Barrow and River Nore Special Area of Conservation (SAC), due regard must be given to the provisions of the EC (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. These require a rigorous assessment to be carried out to assess the impacts of any work on the protected species and habitats, prior to any works being undertaken.
If the impacts cannot be screened out and a Stage II assessment is required, a full planning application must be made. In addition, the Fisheries Consolidation Act 1959 (as amended) prohibits any in-stream works, such as dredging, during the spawning season from October to June.
I am informed by Waterways Ireland that dredging on the lateral canals of the Barrow Navigation was historically done during the winter months but that this is not now possible. However, Waterways Ireland is working with Inland Fisheries Ireland to formulate procedures which would allow work to be carried out in accordance with the relevant legislation. In addition, Waterways Ireland is continuing to work with all relevant agencies to ensure that as much work as possible is carried out on the Barrow within the time constraints which exist.
I have been assured by Waterways Ireland that it remains fully committed to the development of the Barrow Navigation in line with its statutory remit.
This question produced useful information, whereas some TDs seem to ask questions only as a way of assuring their constituents of their undying love and devotion. See, for instance, Brendan Smith, who has asked the same question at least three times.
Note that the short dredging season presumably applies to other rivers that are within SACs, such as the River Shannon at Plassey.
Posted in Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Natural heritage, Operations, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Shannon, waterways, Waterways management, Weather
Tagged Barrow, canal, dredging, Ireland, lock, Operations, Plassey, Shannon, vessels, water level, waterways, Waterways Ireland
If you enjoyed the account of the 1851 cot race at Plassey, you might also like to read about the 1850 regatta at Killaloe.
Posted in Canals, Charles Wye Williams, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, Steamers, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Weather
Tagged Ballyvalley, Béal Ború, boats, canal, Clare, cot, Friar's Island, Ireland, Killaloe, Kincora, Limerick, lock, Lough Derg, Pierhead, pole, quay, rapids, Shannon, steamer, vessels, Waterways Ireland
Irish waterways history 