Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on the recent visit of the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works and flood relief to the Hill of Tara. [12891/18]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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33. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the future plans of the Office of Public Works in relation to the Hill of Tara. [12892/18]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Question No. 8 refers to the Minister of State's recent and unheralded visit to the Hill of Tara, which I believe not too many people knew about. Will he report on that visit and let us know what happened? Perhaps the Minister of State will inform the House of his Department's plans to take ownership and leadership of the Hill of Tara to make it into a place we can be proud of as part of our cultural and historical heritage.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 33 together.

I was delighted to visit the Hill of Tara recently at the request of public representatives in the area to inspect at first hand the various issues which affect the site and to listen to the various comments on the need for improved facilities there. The Office of Public Works, OPW, has responsibility for the management and maintenance of the site and operates a seasonal guide service based at the former Church of Ireland building. It also provides maintenance services and manages both the national monument structures and the extensive acreage of the Tara site. This is clearly a most important historical centre which is popular with many visitors both domestic and foreign. Safeguarding it is, and will continue to be, a high priority for the OPW.

The various agencies involved are engaged in the preparation of a new management plan for the site and its future will be set out clearly within that. The OPW is participating in that work and is clearly focused to ensure that its responsibilities are addressed. An extensive process of consultation is under way which will, I have no doubt, inform the best future plan for perhaps the most important archaeological site on this island.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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I am not entirely sure if the Minister of State or the officials or the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht are aware of what the Hill of Tara actually is. It was the seat of the high kings of Ireland in ancient times. It is the most important historical and cultural site in the State. Despite this the Minister of State's Department does not provide car parking or toilet facilities for visitors. As far as I can see, the Department does not contact the local authority except when the Minister of State is on a visit for a meeting organised by one of his own colleague councillors. The Department does nothing for the Hill of Tara except cause aggro with local residents. The local residents have a number of groups, including the Rathfeigh, Skryne and Tara community centre. There was a meeting organised recently by them. The Friends of Tara have also campaigned for some time to get proper facilities. I believe they would be happy if the Minister of State agreed to meet the two groups of residents and all six councillors in the area, some of whom live a lot closer to Tara than the councillor I am glad the Minister visited. The Minister of State needs to meet the groups with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and with Meath County Council. Nobody is in charge in this regard. Technically the site is owned by the OPW, but nobody seems willing to take leadership. I appeal to the Minister to take leadership on this issue and to meet the groups, with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and with Meath County Council, to see where we can go from here in providing facilities and a proper management plan for the Hill of Tara, and working in conjunction with the local residents.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I will first point out to the Deputy that I was in the area looking at flooding issues and I was asked if I would go to the Hill of Tara. I am aware first-hand of what our heritage stands for. I was the first one to give free admission to heritage sites to children under 12. This brought in 47,000 children to visit all our heritage sites. This year I introduced free admission for people with disabilities and their carers to all heritage sites. The Deputy does not have to lecture me on what I do not know. I visit most of our heritage sites, whether I tell the public representatives or not. I want to see the issues first hand to see if I can address them.

I agree with Deputy Byrne that there is a bit more work to be done with regard to the Hill of Tara. I have met the local authority and it has outlined the issues. This group has been set up in relation to those findings. We should wait for the outcome of that management plan. The Deputy has never made representations to me on the Hill of Tara. If he had, I would have taken up the issue. Deputy Byrne has tabled his questions today and I am dealing with them, but as soon as the report comes, we will have that discussion.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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I should not have to make representations to the Minister of State and to the OPW about the Hill of Tara. My colleagues on Meath County Council have been pleading with the OPW to do something with the Hill of Tara and this has been going on for a long number of years. It is all right putting on this show that Boxer will get the job done, but we want this primary seat of architectural and cultural heritage to be minded by the OPW. The Minister of State has been in office for less than one year but this issue has been going on for a long time. It is about time somebody got a handle on it. The residents' patience is wearing thin because there have been so many promises.

In the last days of the Fianna Fáil-led Government we had the landscape heritage plan, which came from the Green Party and which caused uproar among the residents. Things then seemed to stall for years, and people are now demanding action. Basic facilities must be provided by the OPW, such as toilet facilities and car parking. Those facilities are actually provided by local people, and the OPW seems to be getting away with that at the moment. I am pleading that this matter be treated seriously and that the Minister of State meets the residents. He should work with them, and I will work with him. He should do that in conjunction with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. We do not need a plan to decide that we need basic facilities for tourists, visitors and local people coming to the Hill of Tara.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I disagree with the Deputy when he says, "Boxer gets the job done". I went to the Hill of Tara, as requested. I met the local authority, which, along with my Department, has set up a working group. The Deputy should wait for the outcome of the report of that working group, and we will see where we can go from there.