Lough Neagh Partnership Meets Infrastructure Minister to Discuss Navigation and Water Safety
Directors of Lough Neagh Partnership recently met with the DFI Minister, Liz Kimmins, at Ballyronan, together with local MP, Cathal Mallaghan, regarding the navigation and safety issues on Lough Neagh and its waterways recreational needs. The Partnership provided a presentation indicating that Lough Neagh had never been included in the Good Friday Agreement and was not part of the remit of the all Ireland Inland Waterway Navigation body, Waterways Ireland.
Gerry Darby the manager of the Partnership indicated that it was their intention to liaise with Committee for the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in the House of the Oireachtas in the near future and provide a testimony.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins met with Lough Neagh Partnership and Cathal Mallaghan MP at Ballyronan to discuss navigation, safety and the future management of Lough Neagh.
The Partnership also informed the Minister that although Lough Neagh was the only Lake in the whole of Ireland and the UK that had a commercial sand trading and fishing industry, it did not have a navigation authority and there was no statutory management or regulations for the Lough. This has serious safety implications for commercial and recreational boats operating on the Lough.
The Partnership thanked the Department for surveying and maintaining the existing Navigation Markers, but informed the Minister of the importance of upgrading the Marker system altogether. The silting up of the mouths of many of the navigable rivers on the Lough was also highlighted, particularly the mouth of the Blackwater River, as well as the silting up of many of the fishing quays along the shores of the Lough. It was relayed to the Minister that DFI do have a statutory responsibility to clear out these fishing quays.
Finally, there was a very positive discussion about how important past studies and appraisals relating to the Lough could be updated, and how solutions to the navigation and dredging needs could be developed. It was agreed that the Partnership would continue to liaise regularly with DFI staff to take these issues forward, the chair of LNP,Gary Mc Erlain, thanked the Minister for coming out to the Lough and listening to the concerns of the local community. It was greatly appreciated.
