Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and the Bill he is presenting today. It is some years since I visited the treasure that is Johnstown Castle, but it is wonderful to see it being maintained and redeveloped for the benefit of the nation. I had one concern about these proposals, but the Minister has already put my mind at rest. This concern related to the prospect of changing the uses to which a facility that was gifted to the State for a particular purpose could be put. As we know, Johnstown Castle, which extends to some 980 acres, was gifted to the nation by private owners under the terms of the 1945 Act. The castle itself is now vacant, however, and I am reassured by the Minister's reference to the enthusiasm of the relatives of the family who donated the estate for his proposals. The project is worthy of support and shows a welcome regard for a part of our heritage the country as a whole can treasure.