Killing Irish boating

IF BOATERS believe they are getting a raw deal from Canal & River Trust, it is nothing compared to the raft of measures being imposed by Waterways Ireland, and there's a barricade actually in place!

There is just not enough money to maintain the waterways of Ireland, and so not only have Waterways Ireland upped mooring fees but have added tolls for using them, with barricades in place to stop resident boaters from moving, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Up to €3,500

Mooring permits have reached a top level of €2,500 with residential mooring permits from €1,250 to a top level of €3,500, and this is for boats that are 'not constantly cruising or navigating'.

Then come the tolls.  To get from one side of Dublin to the other will cost €75 for passage through the city's locks. The barricade is to stop boats with a resident permit from using the waterways.

€5,000 fines

These charges are outlined in the Waterways Ireland Draft Corporate plan that will cover the years of 2014 to 2016, that will become by-laws, with Waterways Ireland getting really tough as there are proposed District Court fines of up to €5,000 for breaches of any of them.

A new five days rule is also proposed, with a boater facing a fine of €150 if the boat is in one place for more than five days.

Close down leisure boating

The proposals have caused a revolt, with a spokesman from the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland, complaining that the charges were so severe they could close down leisure boating on Ireland's Royal and Grand Canals, with already a 50% reduction of boats in the Tullamore area after the ad-hoc implementation of draft by-laws

Politicians, community leaders and business people are up in arms about the proposed draconian charges and the shortness of a consultation period that ends in just over a week.