Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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138. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost of running Stewart’s House on an annual basis; and the number of occasions he has stayed there since assuming office. [17198/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Office of Public Works assigns the costs of running any property in its ownership by means of a property code. There is no separate property code for Steward's Lodge and any expenditure for that property is subsumed into the general expenditure for Farmleigh House and Estate. It is not therefore possible to give an annual figure for the expenditure on Steward's Lodge as distinct from Farmleigh.

Steward's Lodge is reserved exclusively for the use of the serving Taoiseach only. The current Taoiseach has not yet stayed in Steward's Lodge.

Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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139. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide an update on the progress of works at an OPW site (details supplied); when he expects the site to be reopened to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28250/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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Conna Castle is a significant heritage site under the ownership and management of the Office of Public Works. It is a five-storey 16th-century tower house located in East Cork, which has seen ongoing conservation investment by the OPW over a number of years.

I can confirm that all internal works currently planned for this phase have been completed. These included essential safety interventions such as the installation of anti-vandalism security grills to the garderobe openings, removal of high-level hoists, and repairs to window embrasures and access stairs. These works were undertaken in line with best conservation practices under our conservation team.

Looking to the external structure, a key concern is the machicolation feature, which was identified as being at serious risk of collapse. The OPW has secured Ministerial Consent for its repair. In the interim, a temporary timber lintel has been installed to mitigate further deterioration and protect public safety. While full repairs to the machicolation remain a priority, they will be delivered in a future phase, subject to the availability of resources within the district, which is managing a number of competing demands across a large portfolio of sites.

It is important to note that access to the interior of the Castle was previously facilitated via a keyholder system, which was discontinued following the most recent conservation works for safety and management reasons. While the Castle building remains closed for the moment, the woodland park that surrounds it remains fully open to the public, providing a scenic and historically rich environment for visitors.

The OPW remains committed to engaging with the local community. The OPW will meet with a delegation from the local community to discuss potential options for safe and sustainable future access. This engagement aims to foster collaboration and transparency in the ongoing stewardship of the site.

In the meantime, the Castle grounds remain available for appropriate public events through the OPW’s standard permissions process, details of which are available on the Heritage Ireland website.

The Office of Public Works will continue to monitor the condition of the site and progress further works as resources permit.