Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, Ms Collier and I are both aware of the current situation. There has been a protest since the OPW did not manage to buy the adjoining land. In 2022, when it sought to buy the adjoining land, which is the access in for vehicular purposes, it indicated that it was the only viable vehicular access. When it came up for sale, it was offered for sale privately to the OPW and the OPW did not buy it. Then it went on the market and was bought by a private buyer. That private buyer now has installed metal gates without planning permission, and there is no viable vehicular access. What happened in 2022? Was it the OPW or the Department where there was the difficulty in purchasing that? That asset is so valuable. It is the only viable vehicular access. I do not believe there was a lease in place, although there was an amount paid every year to the previous owner for access and there was a car park without planning permission, or the planning permission at least had lapsed. What was going through the heads of people in the OPW that they would not have secured the only viable vehicular access in the offer to purchase that land in 2022?