Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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234. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will request the OPW to remove the railings around Conolly’s Folly, County Kildare, in view of the historical, social and cultural importance of the monument to the local community and which is especially valuable given persons will be undertaking recreation outdoors in summer 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23072/21]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Connollys Folly is a National Monument protected by legislation and under the care and responsibility of the Office of Public Works.While, initially, the railings were erected to secure the site while works were on-going they have become a valuable tool in terms of discouraging the dumping of waste, graffiti and other anti-social behaviours at the site, which would have been the norm prior to their installation and which presented a number of difficulties in terms of maintaining the site to an acceptable standard.

The removal of these railings involves the evaluation of the impact that such a move would have on the protection of the monument and general health and safety and is not something that can be considered by the OPW at this time.