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All inland waterways in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland are run by a cross-border body called 'Waterways Ireland' (www.waterwaysireland.org). This is overseen the the North-South Ministerial Council and receives its funding from user payments, from recurrent grant-in-aid from central Government and separate government funding for capital projects. Of the recurrent Governent funding (grant), 15% is from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in the north and 85% is from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in the Republic. Interestingly, the finances of Waterways Ireland are affected by the exchange rate - as the funding from the north is in Sterling and that from the Rebublic is in Euros. Overall annual budget in 2007 was 42 million Euros. Contribution from operating income other than grants is only about 0.3 million Euros.
Accounts and contact details are available on the website in their Annual Report and Corporate Plans.
The waterway system managed is a mix of rivers and on-line lakes (e.g. Shannon, Barrow, Erne, Bann) and canals (e.g. Grand, Royal, Shannon Erne) amounting to about 1000km. All are used principally by leisure craft.
A great deal of useful inforamtion is available from IWA's sister organisation The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.
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