Representatives from Lagan Canal Trust; Lisburn City Council; Inland Waterways Association of Ireland; Ballyshannon Town Council and Donegal County Council along with Junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson MP MLA and An Tanaiste Mary Coughlan TD, launched the East West Waterway Project at a conference in Enniskillen last Friday.

LISBURN City Council is at the forefront of a new cross border initiative to establish a single inland waterway between the west coast of Ulster in Co. Donegal and the province's east coast in Co. Down.

The project was launched at an inaugural workshop last Friday in Enniskillen. Its aim is to re-open and link waterways from Belfast Lough to Lough Neagh and then via the Ulster Canal to the Erne Shannon system and the all Ireland Waterways Network.

Those speaking at the workshop included the Republic's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan; the Chairman of the Ulster Canal Working Group Brian Cassells and Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson who is a Junior Minister in the Stormont Executive.

Mr. Donaldson said Lisburn City Council of which he is also a member had been 'proactive over the years' focusing on the renewal of the River Lagan and the Lagan Canal.

"The Council along with local authorities in Belfast, Castlereagh and Craigavon has been instrumental in establishing a new Lagan Navigation Trust to further this development," he added.

"The Councils in the Trust have been in discussion with partners in Donegal for some time to look at the Lagan Navigation in the context of the creation of an East West inland waterway with a maritime connection between the east and west coasts of Ulster. "Such a project is clearly ambitious but the return on public investment in making it happen will be the creation of a new water-based tourism product that will bring visitors, employment and commercial opportunities to our region." Mr. Donaldson thanked Ms. Coughlan for her commitment to the project along with other councils, the Inland Waterways and all government departments involved.

"This project is one with a clear vision. I hope today is the start, and that it allows the partners to see a way forward in its plan for a new waterways network for Northern Ireland, " the MP said. Partners with Lisburn City Council in the Waterways Project include Donegal County Council, Ballyshannon Town Council, Fermanagh Council, Belfast Council, Castlereagh Council, Craigavon Council, Department of Arts and Leisure, Environment and Heritage Service and the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.

Ulster Star
13/06/2008