Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 1315: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will review the hotel development at the historical Trim Castle, County Meath, and investigate the waste of taxpayers' money, in the region of €300,000, on this development. [34298/04]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has no role in the development of a hotel at Trim Castle, County Meath.

The then Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands made a contribution of €63,487 or IR£50,000 to Trim Town Council towards the cost of site acquisition and development for a public carpark which would serve visitors to Trim Castle. The greater portion of that site is no longer in the possession of the local authority, having being disposed of to the developers of a proposed new adjacent hotel which will provide car parking in the area. In the changed financial and procurement circumstances involved, the local authority has been requested to refund the Department's contribution. This implies no criticism of the judgment of the local authority to pursue a different approach in the circumstances which have arisen but reflects my Department's conclusion that it would not now be appropriate for the earlier State grant to be retained.

As regards other expenditure by the local authority on this site, a separate statutory procedure is in progress for investigation of objections to the audit of Trim Town Council. This investigation is being carried out by the appropriate local government auditor, who will produce a report for presentation to the council in due course.