Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Martin for his interest in Castletown House and estate. Since becoming Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW just last Wednesday, I have heard from Members representing Kildare North how important Castletown House and estate are and how much the communities enjoy and value them, and we have met. More broadly, Castletown House is of international importance as a result of its built heritage and collections.

The OPW took ownership of Castletown House and estate in 1994. While this initially only involved 13 acres, it has long been the policy of the OPW to seek to reunite the historic Castletown estate. That remains OPW and Government policy. In 1997, 100 acres south of the house was acquired. The farmyard adjacent to the house was acquired in 2001. In 2006, lands associated with the Batty Lodge were acquired. Former Coillte lands to the north and east of the house were acquired in 2007. Since 2008, the OPW has reassembled 227 acres of the original 580 acres of land that formed the historic demesne.

Much of the original demesne lands acquired over the years were in poor condition. The OPW has worked to open up the lands and restore many of the landscape features, particularly the historic network of pathways across the estate and the vista towards Conolly's Folly. The restoration of the historic pathways began in 2007. There has also been a concerted effort to manage the estate for biodiversity. The landscape managed by the OPW is an exemplar site for the all-Ireland pollinator plan, with some grasslands of annex I quality under the EU habitats directive. Extensive pollinator surveys have been conducted and have identified a large number of bumblebee, butterfly, hoverfly and solitary bee species. Other studies have recorded a high diversity of tree and bird and other invertebrate species. The landscape is of high value to grassland plants regionally due to the increasingly urban nature of the surrounding landscape.

In 2007, the OPW worked with the owner of the adjacent lands to develop an entrance and carpark from the M4 slipway. This removed traffic from the environs of the house. The lands encompassing the new access and carpark were retained in private ownership and were used by the OPW under licence from the landowner, Janus Securities. As part of the policy to seek to reunite the historic Castletown demesne lands with the house and lands in the care of the State, the OPW has sought on several occasions to purchase the lands in question from Janus Securities, including when the lands were offered for sale on the open market in 2022. However, despite the very best efforts of the OPW, the State was outbid in the open market process and, ultimately, the lands were acquired by a private purchaser. The OPW sought to make a new agreement with the new landowner but this was not successful despite substantial negotiations to agree a licence agreement, multiple offers to purchase all or part of the private landholdings and a mediation process last September which resulted in no outcome.

Vehicular access has not been available to OPW staff since September 2023 from the M4 slipway. While the private owner of the access road from the M4 continued to allow members of the public to continue to use this carpark, they withdrew permission for the OPW staff to cross their private lands. My predecessor as Minister of State, Deputy Patrick O’Donovan, set up the Castletown House and estate stakeholders working group to address issues of access to Castletown House and estate and the reunification of the historic demesne of Castletown House. This working group has been meeting since October 2023. The group includes representatives of the community and all of the local political representatives and Oireachtas representatives in the area. The group has met many times. However, in spite of the significant efforts by all members, it is disappointing for everyone that more progress has not been made.Despite this genuine engagement by all Members, it remains that there continues to be no vehicular access for OPW staff to Castletown House and estate. This is impacting the community by reduced opening hours for access to the estate. I know that all elected representatives understand the importance of Castletown House as the most popular visitor attraction in Kildare. The importance of the wider estate for biodiversity and habitats is another important visitor attraction. The tearooms that were used extensively by both visitors and the local community remain closed.

I have no doubt that there is a strong commitment by the community, OPW, locally elected councillors and the Members of these Houses, to find a resolution. I will work, and I have made that commitment to the Oireachtas Members to date, to support a resolution to all challenges.

I understand that recently planning permission was granted for the carpark located on the privately owned lands that is accessed from the M4. While the grant of this planning is noted, it will take some time to understand the impact of it and the OPW is currently studying same.

I wish to reassure Senator Martin that I remain committed, as does the OPW, to find a resolution. Castletown House and its estate is a landmark public amenity. I remain committed to working with the Oireachtas Members, local councillors and, more particularly, the community groups in the area to find a resolution to this particular issue.