Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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That is fine. I turn to Deputy McAuliffe's point about the bike shed. Like everyone else, I echo that is something that comes up routinely. In my area it comes up in the context of wasting that amount of money on a bike shed while the ball was dropped so badly on something of such importance as Castletown House. I have raised this on the past two occasions the OPW has been in. Is it really serious about buying the land in Castletown? People are looking at freedom of information responses. The land adjacent to Castletown House is essential for access into the house and its viability. It is the finest house of its type. Its architecture is of international importance and it is successful in attracting visitors, both to the house but predominantly people who visit the land. Should it have been identified as a strategic purchase? It was turned down by the Department when it was offered for sale in 2022. I would have thought that the OPW would have gone back to the Department to state this was of strategic importance.

Was that done? Would it have been pointed out to the Department the risks, which were identified by the OPW, in not buying this land?