Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I am pleased to respond to Senator O'Brien on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, who is on his way to Brussels to attend a meeting of EU transport Ministers. He apologises for his absence.

I understand that in 2009, Fingal County Council applied to Fáilte Ireland for tourism capital investment support to renovate Malahide Castle. The project includes works to provide improved visitor services along with interpretation and presentation improvements to the gardens. Grant aid of €3.5 million from Fáilte Ireland has been approved for the project which is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. Overall, this is a €10 million investment for the purpose of enhancing the existing tourism facilities in Malahide Castle and gardens. It is expected the renewed castle and gardens will cater for 250,000 visitors per year. This is good news for Malahide and for Dublin.

Part of the renovation at Malahide Castle necessitated the demolition of buildings within the grounds including the building that housed the Fry Model Railway. The deed of covenant attached originally to the sale of the model railway bestowed it to Dublin Tourism. When notice was received of the renovations Dublin Tourism approached the four Dublin local authorities and the Office of Public Works to try to find a suitable home for the Fry Model Railway. These efforts were unsuccessful. Subsequently, Dublin Tourism received unsolicited submissions from a number of interested parties to house the railway.

The board of Dublin Tourism considered it vital that a suitable home be identified for the collection as soon as possible and approved a process which set the following criteria: the collection and the rolling stock must be kept together; it should be kept in the Dublin region as a visitor attraction; it must be on exhibit to the public during certain opening hours; the deed of covenant must be adhered to; and it would be preferable if it could be kept in public ownership.

Given these criteria Bus Éireann and the Busáras building was the only suitable party identified as a potential home for the model railway. Some months later a group from Malahide approached Dublin Tourism with information concerning a related private bequest and the potential to house the railway in another building in Malahide. From the outset this group was informed that Dublin Tourism had already entered into negotiations with another party and that the process was well advanced. On the 16 January 2012, Dublin Tourism amalgamated with Fáilte Ireland. Fáilte Ireland is now in advanced negotiations regarding the best possible future use and promotion of the Fry Model Railway and expects the matter to be concluded over the coming weeks. Any final agreement reached will be in keeping with the terms of the original covenant which bestowed it to the State.

I will bring to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and Fáilte Ireland the points made by Senator O'Brien so that they can be taken into account by Fáilte Ireland in reaching a final agreement which I know will be in the best interests of Irish tourism and the use of this important and unique asset.