Tourism fears over maintenance issues on Laois canal 'damaging boats' 

Tourists on boating trips may choose alternative destinations in future if the canal in Vicarstown is not regularly maintained, a local councillor has argued.

Councillor Vivienne Phelan told Laois County Council that a number of boatowners and a local business in Vicarstown have been experiencing issues with the canal in recent years and these problems may in future impact water tourism in the area.

The Fine Gael councillor has requested that Laois County Council write to Waterways Ireland to ask that the canal in Vicarstown and the surrounding area be adequately maintained to ensure ease of boat navigation for tourists in summer months.

Speaking at the January meeting of the Graiguecullen / Portarlington MD, Cllr Phelan said: "I met a couple of boatowners and a local business down there who are having problems the past few years. I'm not talking about the current work that's going on down there by Waterways Ireland which is dredging and repairs to the wall, that's great that it's taking place.

"What I'm referring to is routine maintenance where there's weeds in the canal that are not being adequately removed and boats are actually being damaged."

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She warned: "Tourists coming to the area are having a negative experience and in future years would be choosing potentially other locations for their canal breaks. I think it's important that we highlight it and raise the issue."

The district's Senior Executive Engineer, Tom Drennan, told Cllr Phelan that a letter would be issued to Waterways Ireland regarding the problems in Vicarstown.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme