Waterways Ireland. Largest of the six North/South Implementation Bodies

Transcription

1 Waterways Ireland Largest of the six North/South Implementation Bodies Statutory Function Manage, Maintain, Develop and Promote the Inland Navigable Waterways principally for Recreational Purposes

2 1,000 KM OF WATERWAY 420 KM OF TOWPATH SEVEN NAVIGATIONS 175 LOCKS & CHAMBERS 360 BRIDGES 1,200 HERITAGE STRUCTURES 13,900 M OF MOORINGS

3 Our Goal... - Deliver World Class Waterway Corridors & Increase Use - Create job, support business delivery - Sustain their unique built and natural heritage 3

4 Challenges Declining Resources Weather Invasive Species Aging & Historic Estate infrastructure failure Bye-Laws Water Quality & Supply Designated Lands

5 How Have We Responded to these Challenges? Used capital funding for repairs and replacement New embankment constructed in Cloonlara

6 Lock gate Manufacture & Replacement: Installation at Roosky Lock

7 Embankment repair completed in Feb '18 along the Lough Allen canal

8 Reduce Costs Fixed overheads reduced by 50% from 2013 Seasonal business staff nos: 319 Reduced Senior Management Team Use of technology internet to carry calls - 100k per annum Match service to use Lockkeepers Agreement - 180k per annum Closed services in Winter

9 Earn Income Goal to earn ongoing income stream on each waterway Operating licences - 100k Develop towpaths, ducting to carry services - 86k per annum Charge 3 rd parties for temporary use of our land, eg site office, 3 car parking spaces 24.5k per annum Sell airspace, eg Grand Canal Dock - 1.5m Rent land and buildings - 160k Let office space in HQ - 45k each year

10 Use 3 rd Party Funding to Support Development Royal Canal Towpath Development m Dept of Tourism & Sport and Local Authority funding

11 Fáilte Ireland Strategic Partnership 75% funded Key project development; - Shannon Masterplan - Dublin City Canals Greenway - Tourism Masterplan for Grand Canal Dock

12 Shannon Blueway Acres Lake Boardwalk - 500k Rural Recreation Scheme

13 Goal... Increase Use by 5% annually by local communities Paddles Up Blueway 10k Open Water Swimming

14 Increase Use By attracting new visitors Changes in how people spend their leisure time - Activity tourism New Products & Markets Blueways Sports Tourism Heritage Trail Motor home facilities based at existing harbours and amenity sites Redevelop key sites Tullamore/Mullingar Harbours

15 Tullamore Harbour

16 Key Priorities Complete Linear Trails along all our towpaths

17 Blueways development is a partnership presenting the waterways new users walking, cycling, mapped trails, activity providers, local authorities and local communities. Shannon Blueway Opened k users bringing 4m to local economy Acres lake Boardwalk Shannon-Erne Blueway Opened 2016 Lough Derg Blueway Opened 2018

18 Demand for Outdoor Recreation Activity Tourism is Big Business Core Potential = taken activity holiday in last 2 years and would consider taking a holiday in Ireland in next 3 years Strong Potential interest within the key markets: Walking 34 million Cycling 20 million Watersports 17 million If we attract only 5% - additional 1bn of tourist revenue

19 Develop an Inland Waterways Spiritual Trail Inland waterways were once a great highway for pilgrims in Ireland An ancient spiritual route exists from the Shannon Navigation to Lough Erne and beyond to Lough Derg in Co Donegal 13 Local Action Groups and Local Authorities, Fáilte Ireland, Built Heritage LAG Co-ordination Project

20 Ulster Canal 76 km in length Wattle Bridge on the River Finn to Charlemont on the River Blackwater

21 Ulster Canal New extension navigation Lough Erne to Castle Saunderson - Complete

22 Ulster Canal Greenway Waterways Ireland lead development of a greenway linking the Erne System at Castlesaunderson to the River Blackwater at Charlemont and following the line of the Ulster Canal - Approved by NSMC on 10 th June 2015

23 Ulster Canal Greenway 4.95m Interreg Sustainable Transport to fund 22 km of towpath along Route of Ulster Canal Middletown Smithborough Monaghan Due to complete in 2021

24 From this to this

25 Grand Canal Dock & Spencer Dock, Dublin To create Dublin City outdoor Blue playground - an animated destination in the city Key to linking the city and use of the wider rural canal network

26 Dublin City Canal Events Strategy The Royal Canal Big Day Out City Centre Triathlon Open Swim Training Location Spencer Dock New Exit & Board Walk from Grand Canal Dart Station 12 th Lock to 12 th Lock City Cycle Loop Work with Dublin City Council and Irish Water ref. Water Quality

27 Canal Bye Laws Over 14,500 Registered Boats 1,000 km navigation 508 boats on 360 km of canal network 75% NEVER move Canals Act, 1986 (Bye-Laws) Years without amendment

28 Canal Bye Laws - Proposal -Waterways Ireland provides public infrastructure navigation such as moorings, etc. -Other navigations private sector provides off line moorings -Canal network no private inward investment, Waterways Ireland charges too low Modernise Charging Current Charge 126 to use for year 152 to moor for a year (max) compared to 600-1,800 for a Private Marina Mooring on other navigations Waterways Ireland manages

29 Canal Bye Laws - Proposal Introduce Fixed Penalty Notices Only sanction - Removal Expensive Cheaper to abandon wreck for Waterways Ireland to remove Granted in 2005 Maritime Safety Act

30 Canal Bye Laws - Proposal Make Provision to Manage New Use Houseboats Ability to provide for, manage and charge

31 The Value of the Inland Waterways Annual Value m Private Boating 88 Cruise Hire 55 Angling 142 Access to recreational opportunities 50 Health benefits due to increased physical activity 30 Events 8 Good status water quality 16 TOTAL 389 m

32 Changing Level of Funding Current Capital Total ,600,000 9,405,000 39,005, ,100,000 3,580,000 27,680,000 Funded 85% Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and 15% Department for Infrastructure. Each jurisdiction funds its own capital programme.

33 Critical Structures Repairs IRELAND Budget Required 5,984 6,184 6,2441 6,633 DCHG 2,680 2,680 3,580 4,380 Additional In Year Funding 3,188 2,766 TOTAL 5,868 5,446 3,580 4,380 Figures are in 000's

34 Pension Costs Pension Costs ,000 Pension Costs m Estimate Pension Costs m Pension Costs 2010 to ,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000, , * F 2019 F 2020 F

35 Thank you Dawn Livingstone Chief Executive Office Phone: +44 (0) Home Phone: +44 (0) Mobile: +44 (0)