JOHN CORRIGAN,
Madam, - An article by Áine Flynn in your edition of December 31st seems to confuse the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) with Waterways Ireland (WI), the North-South organisation, set up under the Belfast Agreement, which administers the control and development of the waterways of this island.
The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland is a wholly voluntary body which represents the interest of waterway users with the organs of state, both North and South. In the early days (up to 50 years ago) it successfully fought proposals to have low bridges built across the Shannon and other waterways and to have the Grand Canal in Dublin converted into a roadway. It now promotes the restoration of unusable waterways, and the development of waterways generally. It also serves its members by organising boat rallies and other events, with particular emphasis on safety and training.
Its magazine Inland Waterways News is published four times a year and distributed to its 2,500 members, and a website, iwai.ie, contains details of its branches and its objectives, and other interesting articles and links.
Specifically with regard to the article, Mr. Eanna Rowe is not an officer of IWAI. He is an executive of WI. Boats on the Shannon and other waterways are not registered with IWAI, but with with WI. While the "boating season" nominally runs from March to October there are no laws or regulations prohibiting cruising or other boating activities during the rest of the year. However, boat hire companies usually do not hire out their boats during winter. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN CORRIGAN,
Chair, Information Committee,
Inland Waterways
Association of Ireland,
Drumree,
Co Meath.