2010 Report - Waterways Ireland

552. Background and ObjectivesWaterways Ireland is a North/South implementation body established under the BritishAgreement in 1999. Waterways Ireland is charged with the management, maintenance,development and restoration of the inland navigable waterways under its remit,principally for recreational purposes. Waterways Ireland in exercising its functions isrequired under legislation to “engage in promotion, including marketing anddevelopment of the tourism and commercial potential of the inland waterways for whichit has responsibility”.Waterways Ireland is responsible for seven waterways, namely the Barrow Navigation,the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann Navigation, the Royal Canal, theShannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation.In 2004, Waterways Ireland commissioned research to obtain information on thedemographic profile of waterway users, to gather data on waterways products and tomeasure awareness of Waterways Ireland as the management authority on thenavigations.In 2010 Waterways Ireland commissioned Ipsos MRBI to conduct a repeat survey inthis regard.The objectives of the 2010 research were as follows:– To obtain a demographic profile of current waterway users– To measure awareness of Waterways Ireland as the managementauthority on the navigations– To obtain a profile of the waterways product and new niche productsidentified– To measure the market in terms of market share held by differentproducts– To provide a comparison with 2004 research data where appropriate10-031982 Waterway Users Research 2010 Report (1st December)