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

The Ceann Comhairle and the Minister of State can understand the frustration of local public representatives because everything is answered except the question that is fundamental to the issue, that is, how to restore the access that was there before September last. At that time, some of us put forward the idea of seeking an interim injunction to state the case for the State to access its lands freely and at will. We were told that would not be successful and that the legal advice was wrong. The OPW had enough advice itself in September and when the threat of the closure of the previous access arose, it said that it had alternative access. It turned out to be the access that is opposed by the local people, Lime Avenue, and the access that has a huge amount of traffic, as was rightly anticipated. We need this done in order to run the estate as it is intended and hoped.

In the circumstances, I believe it is high time the OPW made its case known. Does the OPW intend at any stage to make a serious effort to go back to the status quo and restore the access that was there previously for itself and its own staff, as well as for the benefit of the local community and the benefit of all interested in Castletown House? It is a stately home, a mansion of huge historical importance, including for the locality, for this House and for the country. I ask the Minister of State to impress upon those in the OPW the urgency of the situation and the fact that time is running out, and time that is running out does not go on forever. I ask that they make a special effort to concentrate in the next couple of weeks, and then come back and tell us what is their intention, other than to suggest that they intend to buy the whole estate at some stage in the future. It is time they got onto their game and set in motion whatever processes are necessary to do one thing or the other. However, they must at all times keep in mind the right of the State to gain access to its own property unimpeded.

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