Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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343. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount the OPW spent on maintenance to Maynooth Castle and Castletown House in each of the years of 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form; and his plans for further funding of projects at these sites for 2021. [34845/20]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public works is charged with the care, operation and maintenance of almost 800 National Monuments nationwide, including Maynooth Castle and a further 31 National Historic Properties, including Castletown House. Funding within the OPW vote is provided for the day-to-day maintenance of the properties and for the interpretation and presentation of this National heritage estate to visitors to engage with and enjoy. The tables below provide the expenditure on maintenance at Maynooth Castle and Castletown House for 2018, 2019 and 2020 to date.

The expenditure for Castletown House relates to routine maintenance of the House and ancillary buildings, landscape and gardens and public realm at the estate including paths, roadways, railings and entrances. The National Historic Properties Division of the Office of Public Works continues to work on plans for the historic farmyard at Castletown where it is hoped to create new, additional visitor facilities in the coming years, subject to the availability of funding.

Regarding Maynooth Castle, OPW undertakes routine maintenance on an annual basis. It is intended , resources permitting, to carry out high-level vegetation removal in the coming months. There are no plans for additional capital investment in Maynooth Castle at this time.