Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter for discussion. It relates to something that I find myself returning to repeatedly. While housing continues to be the number one issue in County Kildare and in other parts of the country, there is huge public anger around the manner in which the Curragh Plains are managed or not managed as the case might be. What is the Curragh? It is a 5,000-acre stretch of land resting between the areas of Kilcullen, Kildare and Newbridge. It is a proglacial fluvial plain formed during the Ice Age. I did not witness its formation, but I accept what we are told.

The Curragh sits on a bedrock of limestone. Under that limestone, is a huge aquifer which, we are told, is one of the largest in the country. Interestingly, the aquifer in question feeds water into Pollardstown Fen. That is interesting because, quite recently, within a couple of kilometres of the Curragh, Guinness spent €300 million opening a new production plant and committed to spending another €400 million on the second phase of that plant. It is also interesting because the first Guinness was allegedly made with water from Pollardstown Fen. The Currragh is used for legitimate purposes. Sheep are grazed there, the bloodstock industry uses it and the Defence Forces has its headquarters there. It was also used during the British occupation. It is an amenity that is used for numerous recreational purposes.

It is a great place I am told on a good moonlit night to observe the skies. I have not been doing that myself for a long time but nonetheless I understand that is the case.

What is required now is a new management structure and that management structure is committed to in the programme for Government. Why is it needed? It is needed because of misuse of the plains, and unregulated use and overuse leading to the degradation of the national and local resource the Curragh Plains are. What is the problem? Bloodstock is using the plains. That is well managed by the racecourse and HRI, and it is well regulated. Sheep farming for the most part is controlled and well regulated. It is on a headage and lease basis, although some would argue there are far more sheep grazing now than perhaps there should be. There is certainly more than was obvious in the aftermath of the restrictions introduced during foot and mouth some decades ago. The leisure and amenity use is widespread and accepted but there is abuse of driving on the plains, indiscriminate parking, scrambling and other uses being made. Fly tipping is a huge problem.

However, one of the most acute difficulties in recent years has been the regular establishment over the past decade of illegal encampments on the plains. I pay tribute to the former Minister for Defence and the current Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris. He was the first person to seriously tackle that matter. Once he got his teeth into it, the Department of Defence moved rapidly each year to clear these illegal encampments. I pay tribute to the Secretary General, Jackie McCrum, and to Jason Kearney, the property manager there. There is huge expense being incurred by the State each year going to court to get court orders and carrying out the clean ups. It is not sustainable that would continue. We need a new management system in place, and we need it urgently.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this incredibly important matter. I am here to respond on behalf of the Minister for Defence, who unfortunately cannot be here, but she sends her apologies to the House. I welcome the opportunity to respond on this matter. I acknowledge Deputy Ó Fearghaíl’s long-standing interest in the protection, conservation and preservation of the Curragh Plains and his ongoing engagement with officials in that regard. The Curragh, as State land vested in the Minister for Defence, is recognised as a working environment for the State's Defence Forces as well as being a place of historical and cultural importance. The main occupiers are the Defence Forces in the Curragh Camp and the Curragh Racecourse, which leases a large tract of land. Additionally, the plains are used by sheep owners who avail of rights of pasture on the lands, and by both locals and visitors to Kildare as a major natural amenity. I concur about its scenic beauty any time you drive through County Kildare. The Curragh is approximately 4,870 acres and is one of the most open, accessible, and arguably beautiful areas in this country.

As the Deputy will be aware, for the past several years, the Department of Defence has been collaborating with Kildare County Council on the Curragh consultancy project, seeking to develop a suitable future management method and to highlight the importance and significance of the heritage associated with the Curragh Plains. The project came to completion in December 2024 when the Curragh Plains conservation management plan and the associated branding, interpretation and wayfinding strategy were published. The consultation process identified the need for a review of the Curragh by-laws and the Curragh of Kildare Act, with potential amendments to provide effective solutions to challenges faced. The report also identified the need to consider a dedicated agency responsible for the Curragh, or to assign responsibility for the site to an existing agency with the necessary expertise to maximise the potential of the plains. Throughout the project, both the Department of Defence and Kildare County Council remained cognisant of the need to have in place a means of ensuring conservation of this ancient landscape, while also enabling the area to receive the recognition it deserves. The plan has laid out opportunities through which the area can be uniquely identified and also scoped out the development potential of the area as a high-value visitor attraction. It also aims to balance the needs of the respective users of the Curragh Plains, while caring for its natural qualities and providing clear policies for its sustainable future use.

As called for in the programme for Government, it is intended to implement the recommendations of the conservation plan for the Curragh, particularly in relation to transferring the plains to the agency that is best suited to managing this historic landscape. To this end, Department officials will continue to engage with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, which has undertaken an initial scoping of its likely requirements. I understand further discussions are intended in the coming weeks. From this process it is intended to advise Government as to the appropriate way to manage the plains.

I again thank the Deputy for his question and assure him that the Minister’s intention is to ensure that the Curragh Plains, as an important element of our shared heritage, is protected into the future while also ensuring maximum benefit to the local population and to those who come to visit the plains. This Government is fully committed to pursuing a modern and sustainable regulatory model in managing this historically important landscape in the Curragh.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for a positive reply. We have known for some time that the Government favours the idea of the National Parks and Wildlife Service taking on the management of the plains. I am not so sure the National Parks and Wildlife Service itself is wildly enthusiastic about the prospect. It involves huge additional financial resources, and extra manpower will be needed. Kildare County Council conducted widespread consultation when it drafted its consultation and management plan for the Curragh. It attracted more than 3,600 public submissions. It was the largest number of submissions ever received in respect of any project in County Kildare. It is indicative of the level of interest there is in getting this right. I think the National Parks and Wildlife Service would be the right body but it will have to look at the Curragh differently to how it looks at the Phoenix Park or other areas of national importance. It will have to ensure it can guarantee that the legitimate regulated use of the plains by the bloodstock sector, the sheep sector and those involved in recreation and amenity can continue in an orderly and regulated manner that does not contribute to any degradation of the plains. However, this illegal encampment process going on year-in, year-out is a cause of incredible frustration. It is driving investment away from the area. Remember, huge crowds of people come to the Curragh for the major racing festivals. They are very often people with money to spend. They are not terribly attracted to a county where these unauthorised developments take place. It is not that everyone who comes treats the place with disdain. We had people from France last year who came with their caravans, mobile homes, toilets and bins. That is all grand but they would not be able to do it in the Phoenix Park, and they should not be able to do it in Kildare.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy's passion about this is obvious. The statement from the Minister, Deputy McEntee, acknowledges the contribution he has made over the years working with the Department of Defence and the National Wildlife and Parks Service as an entity that may take on the management of this beautiful, scenic, historic and important piece of landscape that we have on the island of Ireland. As I have already stated, the Minister remains committed to pursuing a modern and sustainable regulatory model to manage this historically important landscape in the Curragh. The Curragh Plains conservation management plan, finalised and published in 2024, is under consideration by officials in the Department of Defence. This will, however, provide the foundation for implementing the recommendations identified, including the progression of proposals for the future management of the plains. Any such proposals will be brought before Government to decide on a future management structure. I reiterate that it is the Government's intention to ensure the Curragh Plains are protected into future while ensuring and maximising the benefit to all stakeholders. I will relay the Deputy's point. The National Parks and Wildlife Service needs to act quickly to protect it, so we do not see caravans parking up, as they would not do in the Phoenix Park and should not do in the Curragh either.