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 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 Our Goal ... - Deliver World Class Waterway Corridors & Increase Use - Create job, support business delivery - Sustain their unique built and natural heritage 3 Challenges • Declining Resources • Weather • Invasive Species • Aging & Historic Estate – infrastructure failure • Bye-Laws • Water Quality & Supply • Designated Lands How Have We Responded to these Challenges? Used capital funding for repairs and replacement New embankment constructed in Cloonlara Lock gate Manufacture & Replacement: Installation at Roosky Lock Embankment repair completed in Feb '18 along the Lough Allen canal 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 Earn Income • Goal to earn ongoing income stream on each waterway • Operating licences - €100k • Develop towpaths, ducting to carry services - €86k per annum • Charge 3rd 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 Use 3rd Party Funding to Support Development • Royal Canal Towpath Development - €3.73 m – Dept of Tourism & Sport and Local Authority funding Fáilte Ireland Strategic Partnership 75% funded Key project development; - Shannon Masterplan - Dublin City Canals Greenway - Tourism Masterplan for Grand Canal Dock • Shannon Blueway Acres Lake Boardwalk - €500k – Rural Recreation Scheme Goal ... Increase Use by 5% annually by local communities Paddles Blueway Open Up 10k Water Swimming 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 Tullamore Harbour Key Priorities . Complete Linear Trails along all our towpaths Blueways – development is a partnership presenting the waterways new users walking, cycling, mapped trails, activity providers, local authorities and local communities. • Shannon Blueway – Opened 2014 – 100k users bringing €4m to local economy – Acres lake Boardwalk • Shannon-Erne Blueway – Opened 2016 • Lough Derg Blueway – Opened 2018 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 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 Ulster Canal • 76 km in length – Wattle Bridge on the River Finn to Charlemont on the River Blackwater Ulster Canal New extension navigation Lough Erne to Castle Saunderson - Complete 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 10th June 2015 Middletown Ulster Canal Greenway €4.95m Interreg Sustainable Transport to fund 22 km of towpath along Route of Ulster Canal Monaghan Smithborough Due to complete in 2021 From this… …to this 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 • 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 • 12th Lock to 12th Lock City Cycle Loop • Work with Dublin City Council and Irish Water ref. Water Quality 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) 1988 – 30 Years without amendment 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 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 Canal Bye Laws - Proposal Make Provision to Manage New Use • Houseboats – Ability to provide for, manage and charge 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 30 activity Events 8 Good status water quality 16 TOTAL €389 m Changing Level of Funding Current Capital Total 2010 €29,600,000 €9,405,000 €39,005,000 2018 €24,100,000 €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. Critical Structures Repairs IRELAND 2016 2017 2018 2019 Budget Required €5,984 €6,184 €6,2441 €6,633 DCHG €2,680 €2,680 €3,580 €4,380 Additional In Year €3,188 €2,766 Funding TOTAL €5,868 €5,446 €3,580 €4,380 Figures are in 000's Pension Costs • Pension Costs 2010 - €700,000 • Pension Costs 2018 - €2.80m • Estimate Pension Costs 2019 - €3.3m Pension Costs 2010 to 2020 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 * 2016 2017 2018 F 2019 F 2020 F Thank you Dawn Livingstone Chief Executive Office Phone: +44 (0) 28 6634 6201 Home Phone: +44 (0) 28 6772 2240 Mobile: +44 (0) 74 4323 3713 .