Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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If the Minister of State follows the River Dodder, from near here up river for 29 km, he will pass a fantastic part of the country. He will come out towards Tallaght and Kiltipper on the right. Following the river to his left he will see the Glenasmole valley going past Bohernabreena where a lot of the water we drink comes from. He will then get into the valley, which is one of the most spectacular places in this country and matches anything in County Mayo, such as Croagh Patrick, in its beauty. It is a stunning wilderness and there is nothing there - not a shed and hardly a fence. It is a wildlife reserve to match any other. If one walks up to the source of the Dodder, which is hard to find on account of there being so many pools and tributaries, one will arrive at the top under Kippure mountain which is spectacular and looks out over Dublin. It is a huge wide valley with huge history, lore and heritage. No other capital city in Europe, or maybe the world, has what we have, which is the sea and the mountains, and this is an integral part of the mountains. The valley sits surrounded by 200,000 hectares of the Wicklow National Park which is a patchwork of areas including Lough Bray and Glencree. It is up for sale at the moment but we cannot let it go for sale and have to keep it in State ownership to be added to the Wicklow National Park, which it would grow by some 10%, providing an amazing facility for the people of this city and the whole country.

What contact has the Department had with NAMA on the subject of this land? The land came into the ownership of the State through a developer who was involved in the Dundrum town shopping centre and was not able to hold onto it. NAMA has put it up for sale with an auctioneer but we have to make sure it is not sold. It is of no development potential. Some 93% of the land is in the Wicklow SAC and one can do nothing with it, such as put up a wind farm or buildings. It is under freehold at the moment and we should get back control of it to use it as part of the Wicklow National Park.

There is only one difficulty, which is that it is in Dublin. If we can see beyond borders it could also be part of a Dublin mountain uplands park, as proposed by South Dublin County Council. Last week the council announced this as the centrepiece of its tourism strategy, suggesting it could bring in some €26 million and create 2,500 jobs. The Dublin mountain partnership, which I was involved in setting up, has been an amazing achievement in the past ten years. People walk, cycle and engage in all types of activities in the Dublin mountains and these 5,000 acres would be an incredible facility. I ask the Minister to make sure the National Parks and Wildlife Service intervenes and recognises that this has huge value to the State. NAMA cannot sell it as a social requirement was stitched into the legislation.

I am keen to hear what the National Parks and Wildlife Service thinks of this resource and what mechanisms we can find, at this late stage, to make sure it is not sold but kept for the people of this country to whom it belongs.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My colleague, the Minister for Finance, is responsible for the National Asset Management Agency, and questions regarding the sale of land by NAMA should in the first instance be directed to his Department. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me to discuss the role of NAMA.

I can, however, provide some background to the role of my Department regarding the land surrounding Glenasmole, which I understand incorporates much of the land known as the "Featherbeds". The land in question encompasses some 4,900 acres, as outlined in the advertisement issued by the firm handling the sale of the land. The majority of this land lies within a special area of conservation and a special protection area and for that reason is a very important site for nature conservation. The land also adjoins the Wicklow Mountains National Park, Ireland's largest national park.

In February 2014, the predecessor of the current Minister for arts, heritage, regional, rural and Gaeltacht affairs met with officials from Mountaineering Ireland, at which the question of lands near Wicklow Mountains National Park held by NAMA was discussed. After this meeting, officials from the Department approached NAMA to discuss those lands, with a meeting held in April 2014. On foot of the meeting, in early May 2014 the Department expressed an interest in acquiring the lands in question. NAMA responded by indicating that the board of NAMA had recommended that NAMA engage, where feasible, with other State bodies, where that body has expressed an interest in acquiring a property for a purpose specifically linked to its statutory functions.

Between May 2014 and September 2015 there was intermittent contact between officials from the Department and NAMA. Discussions in August and September 2015 related to the valuation of the land in question. In June 2016, I understand there were media reports regarding the proposed sale by NAMA of the lands in question. I also understand a separate commercial property management firm is handling the sale and has advertised the property for sale by private treaty. Given its closeness to Wicklow Mountains National Park and given its importance for nature conservation as an SAC and SPA, the land in question would be very important to the national park. However, given the scarce resources available for capital investment in our national parks and nature reserves, I am mindful of the need to focus on the core responsibilities relating to the management of the parks and reserves. For that reason, the Department could only consider acquiring this property if the price fell within a certain range.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I am surprised we have allowed this to get to this stage. If officials and NAMA have been involved in talks and been haggling over price, which I presume is what the Minister of State said, how have we let it be publicly put up for sale? Media reports suggest it has an asking price of some €2.5 million but the problem is that, when it is opened up to other bidders, it will be difficult for the State to get the price right between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and NAMA, though I hope there will not be any difficulty in this regard. The Minister's response confirms that we are all agreed on the fact that this makes absolute sense. A national park beside the existing national park would increase the park by 10% and is a perfect fit for what we already have. It would add huge value to the State. How does the Minister of State propose entering into talks with the Minister for Finance and NAMA to stop this and not allow private people to come in?

If the price reported in the newspapers is correct, it is only about €500 an acre. I believe the Minister has done some work in auctioneering and he will know that is not a high price. In terms of some of the benefits that would accrue, this site is located beside a huge population and is used frequently for recreational purposes. The health benefits alone of encouraging people to walk there and enjoying the natural benefits of it would mean we would get a very quick return on that price.

I ask the Minister to intervene directly in this matter. I know there are sensitivities around NAMA in terms of how he can approach it and so on, but this is a perfect example in that there is no possible commercial development. It makes sense for us to get hold of it, finish this quickly so we can stop a private bidder coming in and increasing the price to €3 million or €4 million. If that happens, we will have real difficulty in getting it back to the State. How does the Minister of State think he might do it?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy was part of that Government and he is correct. In the NAMA Bill politicians were exempt, and rightly so, from interfering with or talking to NAMA. However, the Minister for Finance can do that, and I will tell him the Deputy's concerns about this issue.

I want to put on the public record that I agree with the Deputy but I worry about NAMA's valuations with regard to this particular piece of land. The Deputy is correct. With the special areas of conservation, SACs, and the habitats directive it will not be used for development; there will be major restrictions in that regard.

My budget this year for the National Parks & Wildlife Service is €2.5 million so I do not have the resources. I will have to talk to the Minister for Finance.

I am dealing with another situation where it is in the public interest, and I repeat that I worry about the valuations NAMA is putting on these properties. I cannot interfere, and I cannot make that point to NAMA, but I can make it in the Dáil. This is in the public interest. I would like to see this property being acquired by the State but with the price I am told NAMA is looking for it is not commercially viable. I will ask the Minister for Finance to intervene with NAMA. I cannot personally do that. I will ask my officials again to talk with NAMA, the Minister for Finance and officials in the Department of Finance to see what can be done because what the Deputy stated is correct.

I will travel to Wicklow National Park next week where I will have an opportunity to examine the area. I have visited it in the past. It is a beautiful area and I would love to see this land being bought by the State. I cannot intervene but I will ask my officials to talk to the Minister for Finance. I will ask the Minister for Finance what we can be done with this land.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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There should be no difficulty. It is part of the budget process in which we are engaged. If it has to be a slightly lower price in this case, no one will be-----

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Deputy, there is no provision to come back in. The point has been well made by you.