John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 615: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if permission has been sought by Kilkenny Borough Council from his Department to restore Black Freren Gate in Kilkenny City; if funding is available from his Department to carry out this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5057/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Black Freren Gate in Kilkenny City is a national monument in local authority ownership and is the subject of a preservation order. My Department has not received any application from Kilkenny city in relation to the restoration of the gate. I understand the Office of Public Works has been monitoring the condition of the gate and has found it to be stable.

While my Department does not operate a specific fund for the maintenance of national monuments which are not in State care, it may be possible in certain limited circumstances to consider applications from local authorities for assistance to improve such monuments. It would be a matter for Kilkenny County Council to state the case for such assistance in the present instance.