§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce bye-laws to control jet skis and powerboats in Lough Erne. [173270]
§ Angela SmithWaterways Ireland has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of the inland navigable waterways of Ireland principally for recreational purposes. The waterways under the remit of the body are the Barrow Navigation, the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann, the Royal Canal, the Shannon-Erne Waterways and the Shannon Navigation.
Bye-laws for the regulation of the navigations already exists for Lough Erne under statue law Lough Erne (Navigation) Bye-laws (Northern Ireland) 1978 and Lough Erne (Navigation) (Amended) Bye-laws (Northern Ireland) 1986.
Waterways Ireland is currently in the process of revising the bye-laws for all their waterways including introducing bye-laws for the Lower Bann. The process will address all aspects of the navigations including jet skis and powerboats and it is hoped to go to public consultation towards the end of 2004.