Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I said in a previous response to Deputy Stanton, I met yesterday with the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, to discuss the issue of properties for which the OPW is responsible. These are owned by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage but we have responsibility for managing their maintenance and preservation. I have opened discussions with the Minister and I hope to engage with Fáilte Ireland and the Local Government Management Agency, which are the agencies with ultimate responsibility along with what we would traditionally call the county managers. There is a local interest in these monuments that has to be brought to the fore. The Department of Rural and Community Development, through the town and village renewal fund, is a critical driver of what I would call the second and third division monuments in some of our larger and smaller towns. We want people to visit what are, possibly, the lesser-known monuments that have a wealth of stories to be told and will help to drive the tourism industry in towns like Carlow, and other provincial towns in places like Carlow-Kilkenny.

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