Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My colleague, the Minister for Finance, is responsible for the National Asset Management Agency, and questions regarding the sale of land by NAMA should in the first instance be directed to his Department. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me to discuss the role of NAMA.

I can, however, provide some background to the role of my Department regarding the land surrounding Glenasmole, which I understand incorporates much of the land known as the "Featherbeds". The land in question encompasses some 4,900 acres, as outlined in the advertisement issued by the firm handling the sale of the land. The majority of this land lies within a special area of conservation and a special protection area and for that reason is a very important site for nature conservation. The land also adjoins the Wicklow Mountains National Park, Ireland's largest national park.

In February 2014, the predecessor of the current Minister for arts, heritage, regional, rural and Gaeltacht affairs met with officials from Mountaineering Ireland, at which the question of lands near Wicklow Mountains National Park held by NAMA was discussed. After this meeting, officials from the Department approached NAMA to discuss those lands, with a meeting held in April 2014. On foot of the meeting, in early May 2014 the Department expressed an interest in acquiring the lands in question. NAMA responded by indicating that the board of NAMA had recommended that NAMA engage, where feasible, with other State bodies, where that body has expressed an interest in acquiring a property for a purpose specifically linked to its statutory functions.

Between May 2014 and September 2015 there was intermittent contact between officials from the Department and NAMA. Discussions in August and September 2015 related to the valuation of the land in question. In June 2016, I understand there were media reports regarding the proposed sale by NAMA of the lands in question. I also understand a separate commercial property management firm is handling the sale and has advertised the property for sale by private treaty. Given its closeness to Wicklow Mountains National Park and given its importance for nature conservation as an SAC and SPA, the land in question would be very important to the national park. However, given the scarce resources available for capital investment in our national parks and nature reserves, I am mindful of the need to focus on the core responsibilities relating to the management of the parks and reserves. For that reason, the Department could only consider acquiring this property if the price fell within a certain range.

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