Longford councillors briefed on increases in cost of permits for mooring

Increases in the cost of permits for mooring in Richmond Harbour were among the changes set to be introduced in bylaw changes governing Irish waterways Longford County Council members were informed.

A presentation from Waterways Ireland to the local authority outlined the process adopted to update the bylaws.

Brian Treacy, Waterways Ireland's North Shannon Senior Engineer, was attending the November council meeting to brief the elected representatives and answer any questions on the issue.

The meeting with the councillors discussed the State body's approach to proposed bylaws changes.

“The Shannon bylaws are from 1992, the Canal bylaws date from 1988, so they are over 35 years.

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There has been plenty of legislation that needs to be reflected in the bylaws, that is why we are updating them,” Mr Treacy told the councillors.

The State body that oversees the management, maintenance, development, and restoration of inland navigable waterways have just concluded a public consultation phase on the proposed bylaws changes, with a second phase of public consultation to facilitate further engagement with the public and stakeholders currently underway.

The WI North Shannon Senior Engineer told the meeting: “There are quite a few steps before it becomes a statutory instrument. We are now at the public consultation stage. We have finished stage one and we are now going on to the next stage.”

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Mr Treacy said every stakeholder group had been consulted on the proposals, including Shannon lakes and rivers groups and heritage groups.

Under the review the proposals will see the extending the bylaws to the Ulster Canal system and the River Inny as far as Ballymahon. Other changes are to bring in line regulations with the Maritime Safety Act, vessel safety and equipment, and WI property management.

“We will reflect on the submissions we have received before we progress to phase two,” the Senior Engineer told the meeting.
The proposed changes include the introduction of new serviced and unserviced canal permits for houseboat communities; additional houseboat mooring zones; in-water inspections and insurance for boats; the introduction of an annual registration process, and abolition of lock passage fees.

Others are the requirement for life-jackets on the water and safety equipment on boats; speed limits for bicycles and scooters on the Greenways and Blueways; certification of vessels being used for commercial purposes, and designated zones for tents and caravans. The revisions also include measures to protect the environment.

Restrictions on the length of mooring, boat registration and the introduction of fixed payment notices as set out in legislation.
Permits for Richmond Harbour are to increase from €126 to €200: “We are proposing a five day rule for parking. That is to encourage boats to come in off the Shannon and on to Abbeyshrule and Mullingar,” Mr Treacy said.

To date Waterways Ireland received 933 submissions: “We are now going to review those. On January 15 to February 26 we will have the second iteration.

“This will allow people to see how the feedback affects the bylaws. After February we will review it again,” Mr Treacy assured the councillors.

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