Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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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.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. I felt it was important for me to be here for the debate. I thank the Deputy for his long-standing interest in Castletown House and estate. The Deputy has made ongoing representations through parliamentary questions and Oireachtas committees with regard to Castletown House and estate. He and his fellow representatives of Kildare are valued members of the Castletown House and estate stakeholders working group. This group was initiated by my predecessor, the then Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, in October 2023 to progress the reuniting of the historic demesne and access issues to Castletown House and estate. The group includes representatives of the community and all of the local political representatives in the area. To date, I have convened two meetings of this working group in my capacity as Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW. As Deputy Durkan will be aware, I have scheduled a third meeting for next Tuesday, 28 May, to discuss all of the outstanding issues in relation to Castletown estate. I very much value the input of the working group.

Since I previously addressed this matter, I understand that the owner of the M4 lands has erected a gate across the entrance to those lands at the boundary between the section of privately owned road and the access spur road owned by the local authority. This entrance has been used by visitors to Castletown House to access the estate by means of the road and temporary car park previously used by the OPW under licence, which is known locally as the road off the M4. However, the placing of a gate on private property is not a matter over which the OPW has any control. The owners of lands are entitled to control access to their lands as they see fit, subject to compliance with the planning process.

As part of the policy to seek to reunite the historic Castletown demesne lands with the house and lands in the care of the State, the OPW has sought on several occasions to purchase the lands in question from Janus Securities, including when the lands were offered for sale on the open market in 2022. However, despite the very best efforts of the OPW, the State was outbid in the open market process and, ultimately, the lands were acquired by a private purchaser. However, it remains the strategic objective of the OPW to reunite all of the lands of the former Castletown estate where those lands are available for purchase. The OPW remains open to negotiations with the landowners to purchase all or part of the subject lands.

In line with a recent commitment I gave to the working group at our last meeting, earlier this week I met with the owners to discuss this further. I believe the meeting was a positive one and follow-on engagement is to take place.

I underline that the commitment of the OPW to the gradual consolidation of the former estate cannot be doubted. The OPW took ownership of Castletown House and estate in 1994. Much of the original demesne lands acquired over the years were in poor condition. The OPW has worked to open up the lands and to restore many of the landscape features, particularly the historic network of pathways across the estate and the vista towards the Conolly Folly.

At the meeting of the working group on 22 February, one of the community organisations submitted a proposal to the OPW that would see staff accessing the site through Lime Avenue at certain times of the day and leave the avenue primarily for pedestrians for the core part of the day, including during school commuting times. This was proposed as a temporary measure. It was further discussed at the working group meeting on 11 March. The key element of this proposal is an independent health and safety assessment of the impact of limited vehicular access on Lime Avenue. The OPW has appointed a health and safety professional from an Office of Government Procurement framework to carry out a specific audit of the use of the vehicular and pedestrian access routes for people with disabilities and external contractors. The safety audit is in draft form and will be a subject for discussion with the working group.

I go back to the core point the Deputy raised. As Minister of State, I want to work with all groups in order that we get Castletown and the estate fully reopened. I need to get the workers back in so we can deal with this issue. I had that engagement with the owners of the adjoining lands last week. It was a positive meeting. There will be a follow-on engagement, and I remain committed to working with Deputy Durkan, his colleagues and the community to find a way forward and a solution here.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Unfortunately, time is running out fast. I have here an email from a local resident who is a strong supporter of the need to ensure that access to Castletown House continues uninterrupted and unimpeded. She refers to a petition in 2024 of 5,000 signatures and support for the petition to keep Lime Avenue pedestrian and to ensure that it is not shared with any traffic because it is too dangerous. It will not facilitate a reorganisation of the avenue to allow the two, but access to the grounds and the adjoining grounds can be agreed if necessary and if possible with the adjoining landowner. It would appear to me, however, that the adjoining landowner has put a spoke in the wheel by putting a gate across the avenue, which signals his intention, to my mind, not to relent at all, and that a situation could emerge whereby the State could find itself unable to access its own lands. As the Minister of State has rightly pointed out, the adjoining landowner is entitled to access his own lands. So is the State, however, and it would now appear that the adjoining landowner is proposing to ensure that only at his gift will the public or the State access their own property.

I think there is now a case to be challenged in court if necessary - it should be done sooner rather than later - and that is whether the State has the right to access its own lands and property, to go to and from those lands and to service those lands, Castletown House and the Castletown collection at will, uninterrupted and unimpeded. It is an important issue. It has to be thrashed out sooner or later, and I strongly urge that it be done sooner in order that the State will have equal rights with an adjoining private landowner.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I note Deputy Durkan's utter commitment in this area. I think everyone is of a common bond, which is that we want to see Castletown House reopened and want the estate back to normal functioning hours. The overlying thing is that it remains the strategic objective of the OPW to acquire the remaining lands to reunite all the lands at the former estate. I gave a commitment to the working group that in my time as Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Lime Avenue will continue to be pedestrianised. We may, on a temporary basis, require staffing to reopen it, but any result which gives rise to permanent vehicular access to Lime Avenue will not happen while I am Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW. It is a pedestrian access; it has been so. We need to get the staff back in. We are looking at a safety audit, which we will discuss with the working group. I note the point the Deputy has raised, and he has been very consistent on that. We are working to a common objective to be able to get full opening hours and full access for the public. Part of that is to get the staff back in as well. I committed to the working group that I would meet the owners of the land. I did that last week. I believe it was a positive meeting. There will be a further engagement. My abiding commitment is to work with public representatives such as Deputy Durkan, who is a long-standing Member of the House and has been very much to the fore on this issue for the people of the area. I want to work in a collaborative way. Anyone who knows me knows I want to find and explore every single conceivable avenue to find a resolution with everyone working together. As I have said, Castletown estate is the Phoenix Park for Celbridge, the Deputy's area, Leixlip, Maynooth and the general area. I want to ensure that it is fully reopened and I look forward to my further engagement with the working group next Tuesday, along with the Deputy's good self.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Including the opening of the gates, as per September last. The gates will open for pedestrians and Lime Avenue will open for pedestrians.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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There is an issue with Lime Avenue, as Deputy Durkan is well aware. I have a fiduciary duty to staff in the OPW as well. We have had discussions with the unions. There are issues we need to deal with, including health and safety, and I want the report we are doing to be a common basis for discussion. Ultimately, we want to get Castletown House and the grounds fully reopened. There is a combination of factors we have to deal with. The public are uppermost in my mind but, equally, I have a duty to the staff, who clearly want to get back in as well. No stone will be left unturned. I look forward to continuing what has been a very constructive exchange with the working group, and we will take that up again next Tuesday.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank Deputy Durkan and all the Members who submitted Topical Issues and the Ministers of State for being here to deal with them.