Mooring charges up by 700%!

THERE are proposals to hike liveaboard boat mooring charges by 700%.

But not by Canal & River Trust, boaters will be pleased to learn, reports Janet Friend.

No increase for many years

It is Waterways Ireland that want to hike the mooring charges of liveaboards on the Grand Canal that are being reviewed after no increase for many years.

Waterways Ireland proposed a hike from €578 to €4,000 annually and rising to €7,500 over a six-year period for those living at the serviced mooring sites it controls.

Yet the 'service' is what is normal at our marinas giving access to a water tap and electricity point for each boat with residents using a top-up card to pay for their electricity usage.

Refuse is collected on the canal and a pump-out station for waste is located by the marinas.

Lead to homelessness

The liveaboards tell that such increases could lead to homelessness for traditional canal boat dwellers who cannot afford the mooring charge increases.

Fianna Fáil’s James O’Connor and Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy raised concerns at committee on Thursday 4th about the sharp rise, stating that the Waterways Ireland has been accused of not fully engaging with those that live on the Grand Canal.

Initially, a report carried out by KPMG set out some fee structures that they felt were appropriate. Since that report, there have been two further revisions and fee calculations have also been carried out by the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.

Some of the  the mooring charges have not changed in nearly 30 years, it is claimed, and Waterways Ireland was attempting to bring them up to date.