Annual Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2007

Chapter 3
Managing and Maintaining the Waterways
3.1 Waterways Maintenance Programmes
In 2007, routine inspections and maintenance of all public facilities and navigational
infrastructure were planned and carried out in a structured way along each of the
navigations, to ensure a high level of service to waterway users, and to other visitors to
Waterways Ireland’s property.
Significant resources are deployed in preparing the navigational network for
recreational activity each year and maintaining the navigations during the boating
season. Planned maintenance works
included power washing of jetties,
maintaining and improving the navigation
marking system, the removal of hazards
and obstructions to vessels from the
waterways and maintenance of life saving
equipment, sluices, locks and lock houses.
Other maintenance works carried out
included grass cutting at amenity areas,
weed spraying and tree trimming along
the navigations, towpath improvements,
painting of lock gate elements, removal
of vegetation around the locks and, ever
increasingly, litter collection.
Waterways Ireland’s operational and
inspectorate staff also played an
important role in facilitating water based
events in 2007. This included the cutting
of swims along the navigations for various
fishing competitions and the setting out
of a swimming course with booms and
marker buoys for the Tri Athlone on the
Shannon Navigation. Staff also facilitated
events such as the Water Ski World Cup
on Lough Erne, Riverfest on the Lower
Bann Navigation, and boat rallies on the
Shannon and Barrow Navigations, and the
Grand and Royal Canals.
Key maintenance projects were also
carried out on each of the seven
navigations.
Waterways Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2007
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