Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Last week I raised with the Taoiseach the issue of the impasse at Castletown House about the vehicular access from the M4. The Taoiseach's response to me was:

I am aware of the situation and I have spoken to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, about it. Conversations ongoing with the landowner. We are keen to resolve that if we can, but it is a negotiation.

Yesterday, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, said on KFM radio that negotiations were under way but could not discuss them because they are at a commercial level. This morning I picked up the phone to the landowner and asked him if there were negotiations about the land or the M4 access. He categorically told me there are no negotiations under way. He could not have been clearer and was astounded to hear the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, on the radio yesterday.

This is a major tourist attraction. It had 957,000 visitors last year. The house is of international significance. It cannot properly function without viable vehicular access. I feel that I and my constituents are being misled. Is the Taoiseach being misled? I ask him to ask the Minister of State to engage with the Deputies about this access today.

See this speech in context