New bye-laws could affect Shannon visitors

Cllr Enda McGloin asked that Leitrim County Council call on Waterways Ireland and Minister Malcolm Noonan to carry out a public consultation, in line with January 2019 Government guidance, before considering the introduction of the proposed new bye-laws for the Shannon catchment area. 
The new bye-laws would reduce mooring times from five to three days, remove winter mooring, impose a tax on all business operating on the Shannon, all of which puts the upper Shannon region and its waterways at a disadvantage to attract boaters and visitors. 
"These bye-laws will reduce both overnight stays and visitors and will have a detrimental effect on all towns and villages in the County," Cllr McGloin remarked, with Cllr Finola Armstrong-McGuire supporting the motion. 

Cllr Des Guckian said it was a "disgrace" that Waterways Ireland have the power to make decisions such as these and said the matter should be under the remit of Leitrim County Council or the Government.

Cllr McGloin said that "it will go back to the Government; back to the realm of the minister for sign-off so that's why we hope that Waterways Ireland will review what they are proposing before it goes to the minister."

Cllr McGloin said the difficulty local people had in south Leitrim was that they felt "they didn't get the opportunity in a proper way to engage with Waterways Ireland in a public consultation". 

He added that he felt it would be positive that "Minister Noonan is aware of our views in relation to this issue" in response to a suggestion from Cllr Padraig Fallon that the council write to him outlining their concerns.