IW JC 27 June 2001

1. A meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in the Inland Waterways Sector was held in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh on Wednesday 27 June, 2001. The meeting dealt with issues relating to Waterways Ireland, which is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies.

2. The Northern Ireland Executive was represented by Mr Michael McGimpsey MLA, Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, who chaired the meeting and Dr Seán Farren, MLA, Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment. The Irish Government was represented by Ms Síle de Valera, T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht & the Islands

3. Both sides welcomed the fact the meeting was being held in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, where the Headquarters of Waterways Ireland is located. They agreed that the Headquarters, along with the regional offices in Carrick-on-Shannon, Dublin and Scarriff, would be well placed to support Waterways Ireland. The Council agreed that the central role of Waterways Ireland in developing and promoting the 1000km inland waterways network North and South has created an opportunity to enhance significantly this resource, given its importance in terms of infrastructure and in terms of tourism potential for both parts of the island.

Report by Chief Executive

4. The Chief Executive of Waterways Ireland, Mr. John Martin, made an oral report to the Council on developments since the most recent NSMC meeting in this sector last January.

He outlined the progress being made in regard to the staffing of Waterways Ireland. Mr Martin was appointed as the permanent Chief Executive of the Body in January and 220 professional, technical and industrial staff were designated to the body from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands in May. The transfer of relevant staff from the Rivers Agency in Northern Ireland will take place as soon as possible. Waterways Ireland has engaged consultants to manage the recruitment process of senior staff and advertisements inviting applications for three directors posts have appeared in the press recently. Consultants have also been engaged to help with the filling of other posts and a recruitment campaign will be launched later this year.

Mr Martin told the Council that meetings have taken place with Bord Fáilte, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and with boat-hire sector representatives from Northern Ireland and the South. It has been decided that Boating/Cruising on the inland navigations is to be marketed as a separate niche market and a joint brochure and marketing campaign is about to be launched.

Mr Martin reported that progress has been made in securing permanent office accommodation for Waterways Ireland staff in its various locations. The developer's brief has been issued for a permanent headquarters in Enniskillen, agreement has been reached on the purchase of a site for permanent offices in Scarriff and a location has been agreed for the Dublin offices.

Mr Martin indicated that the major capital works on the Shannon Navigation, the Grand and Royal Canals and the Lough Erne Moorings are progressing. Maintenance work on all navigations under the control of Waterways Ireland are being advanced. There was some disruption and delay due to restrictions caused by the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak, however operations are now returning to normal.

Mr Martin also briefed the Council on the World Canals Conference, which was held in Dublin, Belfast and Lisburn in mid-May. Over 220 delegates attended from Ireland, Britain, Europe, the US and Canada. The Conference was a resounding success and feedback has been extremely positive.

The Council noted the Chief Executive's report and commended Mr Martin on the progress that had been made to date. The Council particularly congratulated Waterways Ireland on the successful organisation of the Canals Conference, which had portrayed a very positive image of the new body.

5. One of Waterways Ireland's functions is to engage in promotion, including marketing and development, of the tourism and commercial potential of the inland waterways for which it has responsibility. The Council approved the following proposals:

Ulster Canal Study

6. The Council received a report from Waterways Ireland on a consultants' study into the feasibility of re-opening the Ulster Canal. Half of the length of the Ulster Canal lies on each side of the border. The passage from Lough Neagh to Lough Erne is approximately 93km, comprising 13km of navigation via the River Blackwater, 74km via the original route of the Ulster Canal and 5km via the River Finn. In 1997, the Rivers Agency of the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland and Dúchas, the Heritage Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, commissioned consultants to report on the feasibility of re-opening the Ulster Canal. In June 1998 the study was submitted by the consultants and included an engineering study, an economic appraisal and an environmental scoping study. In 2000, Waterways Ireland asked the consultants to update the original study to year 2000 cost terms and to produce a year-by-year cost profile for a restoration project.

Waterways Ireland presented the Council with a report on the consultants' study and findings, which set out a number of options for the way forward. The Council noted the report and both administrations will now consider the matter further, with a view to reaching agreement on how to proceed. The Council also agreed that an executive summary of the consultants' report should be released at this stage. It is envisaged that this will inform and promote public debate on the issues involved.

7. The Council agreed to meet again in this sector in the South in Autumn, 2001.

Joint Secretariat

27 June 2001