Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am heartened to hear the project is progressing and I am thrilled with the good news that the Minister of State will be coming to Carlow. We have many projects to show him. To give him some background, Carlow served as the administrative capital of the lordship of Ireland under King Edward III from 1361 to 1374, so it can be said with confidence that we were once the capital of this fair land. Carlow Castle had survived largely intact until an attempt to remodel it as an asylum in 1814, which demolished all but the west wall and towers. As the Minster of State said, in February 2020, masonry collapse resulted in disintegration of a large part of one the castle's turrets. The site is being discussed by Carlow County Council as part of an ambitious plan under the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF. It is very important we get these works done and I welcome that. I understand the new phase involves surveys and archaeological investigation at the base of the structure to assess its current condition. What is the timeframe for that?

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