Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 324: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the funding that is available to a local authority to purchase a historical castle such as Whites Castle, Athy, County Kildare from the Department; the way in which such loans or grants can be drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26975/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities' powers would permit them to acquire and-or manage properties of architectural or heritage interest, and a number of local authorities have done this.

My Department has not provided direct grant assistance to local authorities for this purpose. In so far as local authorities may seek to finance this kind of property acquisition through borrowing, the Department's sanction would be required to the proposal involved. It would consider such proposals on their individual merits with regard to the aggregate limits which it must administer in regard to local authority borrowing generally.