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

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell. This is the first time that the line Minister of State has come to the House to address this question. This is probably the 20th or 22nd time it has been raised in the House, so I thank the Minister of State for recognising its importance.

The issue relating to Castletown House in Celbridge dates back to September of last year. The latter is a protected structure of local, historical, architectural and amenity interest to the people in the area and throughout the country. It has a value in that it houses the Castletown collection, which is there for public scrutiny and enjoyment. It also has extensive grounds of some 170 acres that were in the ownership of the OPW for several years.

The unfortunate crux that arises is that the adjacent land that was part of the original estate is now in the hands of a private owner. As a result, despite the facility being available to the OPW in the past, the public and people who have an interest in history, architecture and tourism in the area are prohibited from using the entrance that was used by agreement for over 15 years. Access was from the M4 motorway to the house, and there are car-parking facilities available.

The Minister of State has very kindly engaged with all of the entities involved in an effort to bring about a resolution. Unfortunately, the response from the owner of the adjoining land has been to put a gate across the avenue by which the public travelled from the M4 to the joint properties owned by the OPW and himself. This has created a serious impasse. The local people are up in arms and have rightly placed pickets on the gates since September. Unfortunately, there has been an attempt, although not by the current Minister of State, to blame the local people for the situation that has emerged. That is wrong, it is not fair and it completely removes the focus from where it should be.

On a Monday morning in September 2023, when it found out the access was being changed and was no longer going to be available, the OPW decided to send a team of operatives with angle grinders to open up new access onto the main street in Celbridge. That street is probably one of the most heavily trafficked streets in the country. This effort was made in order to open up a new entrance on the basis that it was the traditional route used when an earlier version of the gate was in place. It was thought this would resolve the problem. Of course, the house was built 300 years ago and what was an accessible and obvious route at that time is no longer available because of the current volume of traffic on main street, which has grown out of all proportion.

My call is that the Minister of State try to resolve this matter in whatever way possible in the shortest time possible, because sufficient time has elapsed since it arose.

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