James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter, which relates to the Martello tower in Sandymount. The Minister of State will be familiar with Martello towers located across Dublin Bay. I understand that 28 were originally built. Every few of them are in as good nick as the one on Sandymount Strand.

As a local Deputy and a former councillor, I am aware that people have been raising this issue on a continuing basis. They would walk along the promenade past the Martello tower, which is such an iconic building. People have not had access to the inside for decades. Those who have lived in the community long enough remember a time when there was a café in the tower. In other parts of the city, such as Dún Laoghaire, there is a James Joyce museum in a Martello tower.

I could not tell the Minister of State the number of occasions on which I, as a councillor, was contacted by people asking whether anything could be done with the Martello tower. I do not know how often Dublin City Council wrote to the owner to see whether a collaborative approach could be taken to open the tower. We talk about dereliction and vacancy generally across the city. This is a landmark building. The owner is the only person who has access, which he is perfectly entitled to have. The first time anyone has had a glimpse of the inside of the building is right now because it has been put up for sale. Photographs have been published in order that people can see what the tower looks like inside. It has been decades since anyone has peered into the building.

The tower is recognised and registered as a national monument on the national monument registry. There is precedent for the State acquiring buildings that are recognised as national monuments. One of the challenges if the monument goes into private hands is its ability to serve the community and serve its intended purpose. To be fair to the current owner, perhaps 25 years ago or so, a planning application was submitted to put in place a café at the site. For whatever reason, that did not work out.

We should be able to do so much more to recognise and preserve our history. This is a unique opportunity. A tower was constructed over 200 years ago by our then colonial overlords to prevent or at least defend against the perceived risk of a French invasion. We now have an opportunity to preserve and highlight that history. It is not just on behalf of the community that I am making this representation. Sandymount Strand is visited by hundreds of people on a daily basis. It is an oasis on Dublin Bay and a UNESCO biosphere. It is something that the whole of Dublin is proud of, enjoys and frequents.

There would be an enormous opportunity to create a history tour linking all of the Martello towers. It could become an iconic destination. In terms of value for the State, the Government could work with the local authority and Dublin City Council. To be fair to the council, there has already been some preliminary engagement with the seller. The State and the local authority could work together to provide a café on site that would build up revenue. Whatever the capital cost might be right now, it would wash its face within a short period.

The cultural, historic and social dividend for everyone visiting the area would be ginormous. I have raised this matter in order to encourage the relevant agencies of the State to engage with the sales process and investigate and determine whether it is plausible that the State could acquire this Martello tower.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which provides an opportunity to outline the position of the Office of Public Works, OPW, in regard to the potential acquisition of the Martello tower at Sandymount Strand, although I would suggest that there are other State bodies, Departments and local authorities that will have an interest in this matter.

At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the significant historical and cultural value that this tower represents as part of Ireland’s built heritage. These early 19th century defensive structures form an important element of our coastal landscape and are closely associated with our architectural, social and literary history, with approximately 50 located around the country. The OPW has responsibility for the care, management and presentation of a large portfolio of heritage sites across the State, as the Deputy will be aware. These include many of Ireland's most significant national monuments, currently numbering approximately 780 sites nationwide, which are under the ownership of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. In this context, it is important to note that the OPW does not have a general role in acquiring national monuments; rather, it is responsible for the conservation, maintenance and management of services of those sites where guiding services exist.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is a relevant decision maker when the State is considering taking a property or monument into the care of the State. Ultimately, the OPW is responsible for conservation, maintenance and management of what is in the State's control. Acquisitions are considered on a case-by-case basis, having regard to a range of factors, including national significance, strategic fit within the existing portfolio, public access potential and the availability of resources to conserve and manage the site into the future.

As the Deputy said, the State already has a Martello tower in its care. It is managed by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown local authority and operates successfully as the James Joyce Tower and Museum. This demonstrates that, where appropriate, such structures can be preserved and repurposed through collaborative arrangements at local level.

In relation to the specific property referred to, I understand that the Martello tower at Sandymount Strand is in private ownership and has, over time, been used as a private dwelling and for commercial purposes. I commend the fact that the Deputy has engaged with the private owner from his time as a councillor and recognise that the situation will change if, as he stated, the property is up for sale. While the OPW recognises its heritage value, it is the case that the State must carefully consider carefully its approach to acquiring historic properties. The assumption of ownership, as I am sure the Deputy understands, brings with it long-term obligations in terms of conservation, maintenance and public access. All of this must be carefully considered in the context of competing priorities across the heritage sector. In addition, local authorities are often best placed to bring forward proposals for the reuse and regeneration of heritage buildings where there is a clear community or civic function identified.

I was really pleased to hear the Deputy say that it is his understanding that preliminary engagement has already begun between the seller and Dublin City Council as that may be a really good avenue to continue to explore. Any future proposal for the Martello tower at Sandymount Strand may be more appropriately considered at local authority level, in this instance Dublin City Council, and potentially in partnership with other stakeholders. I urge the Deputy to continue to engage with the city council on this matter. If the tower is up for sale, it is obviously now an opportunity for those discussions to happen in a serious context.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. I am very encouraged by the reply. I may be too much of an optimist. However, to be fair to the OPW, particularly in the context of the reply the Minister of State read out its behalf, it has highlighted a very successful model that has worked when working with a local authority in the preservation of Martello tower in Dún Laoghaire, which is not very far away from the Martello tower in Sandymount, and how it successfully operates as a museum. It is my understanding, as already stated, that there has been some engagement on the part of the local authority regarding the sales process. I acknowledge that it identifies the parent Department as being the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which might have a role in directing the OPW in this matter.

This is clearly an area in which the State has comfort. What everybody wants to see is a community dividend from this unique opportunity. I would be concerned that the relevant stakeholders on the State side will not grasp the nettle. This is a live sale process. Theoretically, the tower could be acquired by any person who wishes to acquire it right now. It is for sale on the open market. I will certainly be engaging with Dublin City Council on foot of the reply that has been given. Equally, I will engage with the Ministers responsible in the Department of heritage, particularly as this Martello tower is registered as a national monument. I will highlight, as the OPW has done, a ready-made existing policy, not something to be feared by the State, that has proven successful, viable and that it has the experience to deal with the maintenance of such an important building.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. I agree. The fact that this is a registered national monument that is located in a UNESCO biosphere on, as the Deputy put it, the oasis that is Dublin Bay, this does represent a unique opportunity now that it is for sale. To reiterate, the OPW does not have plans to acquire the tower, but it is standing ready to engage constructively with relevant stakeholders, where appropriate, and remains committed to the conservation and the promotion of Ireland's built heritage and its natural heritage more broadly.

What the Deputy said regarding continuing engagement with Dublin City Council is very positive and is something I would actively encourage him to do. In my constituency, we had a similar situation whereby Lucan House, which is the former residence of the Italian ambassador to Ireland, was going to be put up for sale on the open market. We have really benefited from the fact that South Dublin County Council, our local authority, was in a position to purchase the estate. While it is still not fully open to the public, it was open on Saturday and it was great to have so many people there enjoying the atmosphere and the stunning grounds. The house itself will soon be open to the public. There is precedent for local authorities taking the lead on this, obviously supported by national Government.

There is the precedent for local authorities to take the lead in circumstances where the OPW does not necessarily see that something is a fit for it. In this instance, the OPW has clearly stated that it is not a fit for it in the here and now, but having Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council operate a successful museum in a very similar tower not far away does offer a roadmap for success. Ultimately, I know the Deputy's goal is to preserve this historic amenity and to bring to life its history and that would be a wonderful thing if he was able to partner with Dublin City Council to achieve.