Ms Rosemary Collier:

We would argue that we absolutely do appreciate the importance of it. We tried to acquire it both off-market and through the formal market process. The commitment of the OPW to Castletown is incontrovertible. We started out with 13 acres and we now have 230. Our policy continues to be to reunite the historical State lands as those opportunities arise and it is our ambition to do that. Our bona fides in regard to Castletown are well established. We see the significance and the value of Castletown and we have certainly been extolling the significance of Castletown from a historical perspective as the largest Palladian mansion in Ireland, which is significant from an international perspective. I assure the Deputy that the OPW absolutely does understand the value and significance of Castletown.