The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.

President's report to the IWAI 2006 AGM, held on March 24th 2006.

Here we are at the end of what has been an extremely busy year. I must admit to having some trepidation as I stood here last year, the thought of chairing Executive and Council meetings, let alone Annual General Meetings is awesome. I have been very conscious of the support I have had from the membership, no matter where I go I am always conscious of the warmth of the welcome, which is very much appreciated. Over the year I have tried to represent the Association to the best of my ability having met with Government officials, North and South. I regularly meet with Waterways Ireland personnel and I feel the new arrangements now in place for liaison meetings will augur well for the future. I feel at last, WI is beginning to take our organisation more seriously, only now acknowledging that we are their main customer. I am much more optimistic of the outcome of the revision of the bye laws, though I know all too well the dangers of becoming complacent. Public consultation is planned for this year, it is imperative every available member attends their local meeting. I’ve represented the Association from Carrick on Suir in the South, to Coleraine in the North, Dublin in the East and been up and down the Shannon, with bits of the Barrow, Royal and the Grand thrown in, all very enjoyable experiences.

The Executive have met at the very least on a monthly basis, quite a commitment for a voluntary organisation where members come from quite a distance, we have a very strong team with the committee chairs, Greg has been a tower of strength, illustrated by the superb conference he organised, Brenda in her own quiet way has managed membership so efficiently.  The inimitable Dave has doubled sales on the web as well as answering everyone’s problems on the chat line, Niall continues the excellent work started by Rosaleen, David Nowlan, a man of true character has managed the PR side admirably and now feels he should take a back seat. Colin has worked away tirelessly in the background, as well as answering the problems on the chat line, I mean the ones that Dave couldn’t answer! Two of the strength’s of the Association are the web site and the magazine, Michael Slevin as web master is a delight to work with and has kept the site at the forefront. It’s no secret, Waterways Ireland has been quite envious of our web site for some time, I just hope their new site turns out as successful as ours. On March 20th we had our first day with more than 1,000 visitors, (1063 to be exact) we are averaging 810 hits per day reading 2650 pages, an admirable statistic. Our other main strength is the magazine, Nuala sets a timetable and always meets her deadlines, and I’m sure you agree this publication has gone from strength to strength over the years and is now the envy of many commercially produced magazines. I’d like to thank two others who have been extremely helpful and supportive over the past year, I refer to Paul Garland, the vice President and Donal O’Siocháin, past President, both have accompanied me on numerous deputations and helped out in many other ways.

It’s fair to say we have had problems this year with Branch accounts. It is the aim of Executive and Council to make our Association that little bit more professional and to make the organisation that bit more open and transparent. The work that the National Treasurer does on your behalf is outstanding. I know he has spent weeks and weeks, writing, phoning and cajoling branch officers to get books in order, all branch officers have a responsibility here to ensure proper records are kept, can I appeal to all for your help, hopefully we can do better next year, we really need to. John is a meticulous exacting person, rest assured our finances are in excellent hands. I am always conscious of the lady who keeps us all right, the lady who provides all the back up, the minutes, the agendas, and the correspondence and always with a smile. Every time we have lost a secretary over the years I have always wondered will we ever find anyone as good as the outgoing person, we always do, and in Carmel we have a gem. No matter what Carmel is asked to do she does willingly, she is totally dependable and reliable, thanks Carmel for all you do for us all.

The step we took this year of appointing a paid person for the Association has been momentous, I know many have anguished over the decision, none of us want to lose the voluntary nature of this Association of which we are so proud. Yet we just cannot cope with the plethora of documentation now required. Society has changed beyond all recognition in this past 50 years, and we must change too, hence if we are to survive I feel we have little choice. I’m delighted, as I know you are, to welcome Colin Becker into this new role, his vast knowledge of the waterway network will stand him in good stead for his new role, Colin welcome. Colin’s main role will be to support the branches, especially to help source funding for projects, I have always believed there are funds out there to be accessed, be they cross border or whatever, you come up with the ideas and hopefully we can help in some way.

What then are the challenges facing us in 2006, we must continue to keep pressure on Waterways Ireland to deliver on the Royal Canal at the end of next year, no more fudging on this one. We must keep up the pressure on the two governments to make a start on the Ulster Canal, somehow the promised start seems to elude us, it’s the last piece in the waterway chain, the missing link in the canal system. We have submitted our wish list to Waterways Ireland, there is something for everyone, branches have a role to play here working and lobbying local officials. To be fair, Waterways Ireland has done much to improve the infrastructure, new jetties on the Lower Bann, the Erne and the long awaited improvements in Carrick. The facility at Garrykennedy is superb and already is being appreciated. Indeed the improvements carried out on the Shannon, together with those in the pipeline are most welcome. Much good work is being done on the upper stretches of the Barrow, now surely the issues on the Grand Canal deserve to be addressed. Unfortunately we are in a catch twenty two situation here, we need more boats using the Grand, yet we know work needs to be done urgently to make safe navigation possible.

Last year we focused on membership, we had a recruitment drive, we attracted nearly 500 new members, and regretfully we lost as many as we gained. In fact if we consider the new branches in N Ireland, the Association’s overall membership numbers declined. This year we are going to actively pursue those who don’t renew to try and discover the reason. We have got to do better in this incoming year, we’ve got off to a good start, 100 before the boat show, 100 at the boat show, branches have a major role to play here, now is the time to recruit, not when the year is nearly over. I must commend the efforts of Carrick Branch, they targeted every non member in one of the bigger marinas with a magazine and an application form, well done, we look forward to hearing about your success. We need every branch to do the same, ask for extra magazines, new application forms are available for every branch to take away tonight, please use them, ask for more there are plenty. Forgive me highlighting two of our newer branches, Lagan, started last year, now with 60 members and Newry, the baby of the branches with approximately 40 members. The Coalisland Branch, their boast has always been no boating members, they have received funding to date of over £200,000, RBLNA funding of just under £200,000 for the Ram’s Island project, and Dublin Branch, the first stretch of the Boyne opened, funding for a new set of flood gates already received and ready to move forward to even greater challenges. It’s good to see the re-emergence of work parties up and down the country, nothing as satisfying as a days crack, working side by side with like minded people. The Association is in a healthy vibrant state, long may it continue.

I have always felt it is important to say thank you, I’ve thanked the membership, thanked the officers, can I say a special word of thanks to all the branch officers and workers. I said when I took on this role that I wanted to visit every branch of the Association; I’ve managed 10 of the 17 branches so far, thanks for the welcome and hospitality I have received. For the work that is going on out in the branches, may I say a sincere congratulations and well done. Congratulations to Mick Kinahan and all concerned for a super stand at the boat show, we certainly were in a prime position to get out our message, well done to all concerned. Tonight a valued member has decided to retire from Council, someone who has given this Association so much over the years. He has been a true friend to me, I know we thanked him in the past, may I be permitted to wish Reggie Redmond, every best wish for the future.

Our Association is a big family of friends, at least I believe that’s what it should be, lets go forward positively supporting each other. Remember this is the end of the first of the second fifty years of our Association; let’s make it a good one.

May I say thanks to the person who has supported me through this first year, she was my first mate to Dingle, accompanied me to the vast majority of functions, rang me in the small hours of the morning when I was on the road home from wherever, proof read my reports, letters, this job demands a huge commitment in every sense of the word, not only from the person in the role, but from those often left at home, thanks Maree for your support, help and encouragement.

Finally thanks to you, for coming tonight and for your welcome and your loyalty, it is so, so important.

Thank you.

Brian Cassells, President IWAI