John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil supports this Bill. As the Minister has said, it is technical legislation which will change the existing legislation governing Johnstown Castle estate. Those of us who come from Wexford have always recognised Johnstown Castle estate as being a landmark in the history of County Wexford, but in recent years we have seen it deteriorate considerably. All political parties have been calling for Johnstown Castle to be developed as a centre of excellence in tourism, heritage or culture but those calls have been ignored until now. I welcome the fact that the current Minister has seen fit to change the legislation to allow Teagasc to develop the castle and grounds. The castle and its grounds are beautiful and include lakes which many people visit on a regular basis. Weddings and many other functions have been held in the castle, including launches of Wexford Strawberry Fair, 1798 celebrations and so forth.

The estate was not developed by Teagasc because it did not have the funds or the legal entitlement to do so. Now the Minister is introducing legislation to allow Teagasc to develop a section of the estate as a tourism centre. There are already many tourism centres in Wexford, including the Heritage Park, Enniscorthy Castle, the 1798 Centre, the Kennedy Homestead, Kennedy Park and Dunbrody, but if the castle at Johnstown is developed in the way it should be, it will become the jewel in the crown of tourism in the county. If one gets off a plane in Shannon Airport, one can go to Bunratty Castle, which is an important tourist attraction in that area. Approximately 1 million people travel through Rosslare Port every year, and if the castle were developed in a manner similar to Bunratty and other castles in the west, that would encourage people to remain in the south east, and in Wexford in particular. We always bemoan the fact that people do not stay in Wexford and spend their money there. However, if Johnstown Castle estate is developed properly, many people will remain in Wexford and the wider south east generally.

The proposal to give land to the people of Murrintown for a graveyard is welcome. They have been seeking land for quite some time but the cost of land in that part of the county has been prohibitive. It is only right that the Minister would enable them to secure land for a burial ground. St. Martin's GAA club acquired land from the Johnstown estate in the past and I understand that it will seek more land to develop hurling and football further.

The club is expanding its activities as a result of the huge increase in population in Wexford town in recent years. If it is obliged to seek land in six, 12 or 18 months' time, will the Minister be obliged to introduce further legislation in order to facilitate its procurement from the Johnstown Castle estate? If the latter proves to be the case, I hope he will be in a position to introduce amending legislation order to allow Teagasc to surrender the relevant land. Perhaps the 5% provision would suffice in this regard.

A key part of fostering an enhanced tourism product will be the further development and promotion of the local culture and heritage product. The south east has the makings of a world-class centre in the interpretation and presentation of Ireland's history. I refer, for example, to the Kennedy interpretative centre in New Ross, the Viking Triangle in Waterford and other facilities to which I referred previously. In order to build on the success of The Gathering, it is important that we consolidate tourism success in the region and use all resources available to help encourage the industry. The Bill before us is a step in the right direction in helping to develop a strong tourism industry in the area.

I will not discuss the history of Johnstown Castle in detail because the Minister has already done so. Suffice it to say that it dates from Norman times. Teagasc has been responsible for the castle since the 1950s, when the late Dr. Tom Walsh was in charge. Dr. Walsh was a pioneer within the institution that is Teagasc and he was also one of the founders of the Wexford Opera Festival, which has gone from strength to strength and which is one of the great cultural success stories in this country.

The Irish Agricultural Museum, a labour of love for Dr. Austin O'Sullivan, is located at Johnstown Castle. Dr. O'Sullivan, prompted by the need to preserve material evidence relating to agriculture and rural life in general in Ireland, established the museum in the early 1970s. When one visits the museum, one is taken back in time and given an insight into how agriculture developed in Ireland through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and right up to the present. Dr. O'Sullivan always sought to have the castle and its grounds developed in a way that would encourage people to visit the museum. I am sure this will now happen.

I welcome the Bill. Fianna Fáil has no hesitation in supporting the legislation and wants it to be passed as quickly as possible in order to enable Teagasc to develop the Johnstown Castle estate in the way in which it should be developed and to facilitate the acquisition of land for a graveyard. Will the Minister indicate how St. Martin's GAA club will acquire additional land in the future without the necessity for further legislation to be introduced?

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