Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me the privilege of raising this matter again. At the risk of boring the House, the people of Kildare North and those outside the constituency, I seek to bring attention to this issue because it needs to be addressed.

The local people who have protested at the way the Office of Public Works, OPW, has handled Castletown House have been constantly blamed and accosted regarding their responsibility for bringing thisimpasse about. This was not done by the local people; it was done by the OPW, which decided, in September last, to widen the gates to facilitate extra traffic. It used angle grinders to do that but it did not have permission do so and there was no permission for the access route in question.

The constant refrain is that the OPW is doing this because the previous access route, which had been in operation for ten years via the M4 through the car park and Castletown House, was no longer available as the arrangement with the previous landowner was no longer in vogue. The situation then should have been that it would have no access, other than the route that was closed down. The proof is that it had to have that access for a period of more than ten years. While that temporary access was negotiated, it was in place because the OPW recognised it had no alternative access.

Unfortunately, it went down the wrong road and created an obstacle for itself. It has undermined its own case. It is still possible to negotiate with the new landlord of the adjoining property to share the access from the M4. The OPW and the State have put a lot of money and investment into Castletown House, and rightly so. Last night, I was at a well-attended meeting on this issue in Celbridge. The people in attendance had nothing but the best in mind for Castletown House. They see it as the contribution to heritage in their area and local people have enjoyed this amenity until now.

I am glad to see the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, who is from Kildare, in the House to reply to this Topical Issue, which is about Kildare. It is a sensitive issue but I will bring it up for as long as it takes. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will know, the people whom she, I and the Minister of State represent expect us to do this for them. This is particularly the case given the situation in which we find ourselves now. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and ask him to address the issng those lines.

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