Decline in Ireland hire boating

IT IS not only boating in this country that is declining, but that in Ireland too, with less use of its waterways by hire craft.

Waterways Ireland have issued the numbers, with hire boat movements on the Shannon dropping by nearly a half in the past ten years.

Recorded

Boat movement at locks and moveable bridges are recorded, with Waterways Ireland stating it reached 75,000 in a ten months period in 2003, but dropped to just 40,000 in 2012.

The river is mostly used by hire craft, with privately owned boat movements stable at around 20,000.