02 October 2024
Waterways Ireland is seriously concerned for the safety and health of people staying in tents by the canal.
The organisation has met with representatives of local residents groups to listen to their concerns and to discuss how we might fully reopen the amenity of the canal. In order to achieve this a number of options are being explored including the acceleration of a landscaping and biodiversity programme of works. Further details of what is envisaged can be found in the Grand Canal Activation & Animation Plan. This plan has been jointly formulated by Waterways Ireland and Dublin City Council.
Waterways Ireland staff have been monitoring the affected area to deter erection of illegal encampments, to identify public-health issues, sanitary and clean-up requirements, to survey the canal and canal bank and to deter criminal damage to Waterways Ireland property and fencing. All instances of illegal encampments and criminal damage to property have been and continue to be reported to An Garda Síochána.
Waterways Ireland have introduced (from 10th September) enhanced monitoring, whereby external resources have been contracted to augment Waterways Ireland staff by patrolling the area on a 24 hour basis, to ensure health and safety and public health risks remain mitigated, to notify Gardai of any issues in real time, to ascertain the pattern of when and how many encampments are taking place, and to advise any arrivals of the prohibition on staying in tents by the canal along with the associated health and safety and public health risks. This is a pilot programme which will be kept under review and is part of Waterways Ireland’s efforts to fully reopen the canal amenity.
Erecting temporary barriers along the canal was not something that Waterways Ireland had ever envisioned doing; it was done as a mitigation measure, primarily for reasons of health and safety, and public health, following large-scale illegal encampments on the canal banks. On 25th September Waterways Ireland removed a section of temporary fencing, and on 2nd October, Waterways Ireland removed another section of temporary fencing, as further steps to fully reopen the canal amenity.
We understand the interest in Waterways Ireland’s plans for this section of the Grand Canal and are committed to keeping people up to date. To this end, we will publish updates here on our website on a regular basis.