Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Waterways Ireland is the Navigation Authority responsible for the management, maintenance, development and promotion of over 1000 km of inland navigable waterways, principally for recreational purposes. There are eight navigations within this remit, of which the Barrow is one.

Waterways Ireland carries out an extensive programme of maintenance works on the Barrow including, inter-alia, lock gate manufacture and replacement, bank strengthening, revetment and repair, trackway maintenance, repair and vegetation maintenance, aquatic and invasive weed management, dredging of navigation channel as well as litter, debris and obstruction removal.

Expenditure on maintenance activities in the Barrow Operational Area over the past 5 years is as follows:

The Barrow Navigation is within the Barrow & Nore Special Area of Conservation (Site Code 002162) and therefore all works, including routine maintenance works require proper environmental assessment prior to works being undertaken, including screening for Appropriate Assessment, and in certain cases a Natura Impact Statement.

Planning permission is generally required to proceed with works other than very minor works, and is applied for via the relevant Planning Authority.

Waterways Ireland has identified a number of areas which require maintenance to ensure no impediments prevent vessels from safely enjoying this amenity. These maintenance works are being considered by the 3 relevant local authorities and we await the outcome of this statutory process. The planning applications can be viewed through the relevant online planning portals searching for these reference numbers:

1. Kildare: 2460093
2. Laois: 2460049
3. Carlow: 2460026