Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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62. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will urgently address the long delays signing a lease for a playground to be developed in conjunction with Kerry County Council on OPW lands at An Cheathrúin, Dún Chaoin, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39791/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Deputy may find my response to him in PQ 38015/25 informative.

In the days since my last response, a draft lease has been sent to Kerry County Council for review by their legal representatives. This stage of the process is a matter of due diligence. Once this review is complete, and the lease is agreed, it will be signed immediately so that work can commence on the playground.

The OPW has been a core stakeholder in the conservation of An Blascaod Mór since 1988. Ionad an Bhlascaoid, (the Blasket Centre) was developed with assistance from the locally based voluntary group, Fondúíreacht an Bhlascaoid in 1992/3. It was officially opened in April 1994. The State purchased the majority of the holdings on the island in 2009, and since then, the OPW has restored a number of the houses in the island's village, including the home of the pre-eminent Blasket author, Tomás Ó Criomhthain.

In 2020, €1.2 million was invested in a clifftop Wild Atlantic Way Viewing Platform in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, to provide an accessible viewing point for the Island, and to create a unique way for visitors to experience the dramatic landscape of West Kerry. It connects with the headland walking routes which provide a safe way for visitors of all ages to enjoy the natural landscape.

The Blasket Centre re-opened in 2022 after an investment of €2.9 million under a strategic partnership between Fáilte Ireland, OPW and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The OPW was approached by Comharchumann Dún Chaoin, a community group local to the Blasket Centre, with a proposal to develop a community playground in the immediate surroundings of the Blasket Centre. The OPW is delighted to support this initiative and is pleased to hear that funding has been secured to deliver the playground. The lease will be between the OPW and Kerry County Council for a purpose of a community playground. The playground will be operated by Comharchumann Dún Chaoin. OPW will continue to support the community in achieving this objective. The playground will be a valuable amenity for the local area.

The conservation and protection of An Blascaod Mór and the operation of Ionad an Bhlascaoid continues to be of great importance to the OPW. Visitor access to the island is underway for the 2025 season and the successful OPW guide service is operating on the island. The OPW is focussed on conserving and protecting the Island while providing facilities on both the Island and mainland so visitors can appreciate and enjoy An Blascaod Mór.