Waterways Ireland have opened Phase 2 for Public Consultation on the Draft Bye-Laws. This will open until the 26th of February 2024. We urge all our member to make submissions. These Bye-Laws do not put Houseboat communities, user requirements, local communities or tourism at the centre of the regulations. Similar sets of proposals were put forward in 2009 and in 2014 and were rejected by members of Dáil Éireann on both occasions.

The new proposed Houseboat fees are unreasonable. These include increasing permit fees up to 2000%, depending on the area. This level of immediate fee increase is unparalleled and unprecedented by any other public service, and will severely negatively impact the lives of some of the most vulnerable in our society, people who are currently working hard to maintain their independence and to live with dignity.

The introduction of “Rangers” is proposed who could issue fixed penalty fines of €150 for non-compliance with the Bye-laws, many of which are poorly defined and subjective. These Authorised Officers from Waterways Ireland would have the authority to stop, not only those on a boat, but walkers, cyclists, fishermen, kayakers and horse riders, ask for their name, address and ID and then issue a fine. There is no right of appeal for these fines other than in the District Courts. It is also proposed that horses be banned from towpaths except with the permission of Waterways Ireland. In some places there are already signs banning horses from the very paths that were designed for them.

Waterways Ireland have not published their accounts since 2020. They are asking for the public to pay massive fee increases or fines and yet they have not been forthcoming with their own accounts. This is unacceptable.

Residential boat owners are only permitted to live in their own homes on a year-to-year basis at the discretion of Waterways Ireland, who have the right to refuse/rescind a permit at any time with no option for the boat owner to appeal.

Waterways Ireland plan to limit the number of moorings available so that there won’t be enough for existing communities, forcing some to leave. They have also provided no indication within the Bye-Laws of the number of moorings that will be available in each area. This goes completely against the tradition and ethos of the canals which have, since their construction had a mooring rule of ‘if there’s a free mooring space then you can moor there’.

Navigation from the 12th to the 16th lock on both the Royal and the Grand Canals is being restricted. This will lead to a lack of use of these stretches of the canals. This will reduce any potential tourism related to barges or boats and reduce any income that may come from it into towns like Sallins, Hazelhatch, Kilkock and Maynooth.

IRBOA is asking that the public support our campaign against these Bye-Laws. They will have a negative impact not only on the Houseboat communities of Ireland but any user of the Inland Waterways, a public amenity that should be enjoyed by all.