Press Release 31st August 2006:
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Welcome for launch yesterday of
the Socio Economic Study of the Ulster Canal
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The President of IWAI Brian Cassells welcomed the launch yesterday of the Socio Economic Study of the Ulster Canal in the Long Gallery at Stormont. The study was prepared for the Blackwater Regional Partnership by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in association with Tourism Development International.
Mr. Cassells said that the study clearly showed that the costs of restoring the canal would be well outweighed by the benefits it would bring to areas surrounding the canal and to the wider community.
He went on to say “Because of its key location as the “missing link” in the Irish network, re-opening the canal will be of enormous interest to those who use the waterways for leisure and recreation but more importantly it will provide a wide range of new business and employment opportunities for communities in the canal corridor – an area that has suffered significant under investment in recent times”
He acknowledged that the capital cost of the project (£125M) was significant but pointed out that this would be spread over several years construction and would of course be divided equally between the two jurisdictions.
He believed that there was now all-party support for the project on both sides of the border and urged the two governments to make an immediate commitment to the project.
For additional information contact:
Colin Becker
Project/Development Officer IWAI
Tel: +353-87-2426249
Email Colin via our email form