Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me once again to bring this issue before the House, and I thank the Minister of State for coming in to answer the question. I accept that he is not the line Minister responsible but he has been helpful in the past in dealing with this matter.

I bring it to the attention of the House once again to ensure that access to Castletown House, a protected historic mansion and a huge tourist and local amenity, can be preserved for present and future generations. In the meantime, access for the owners of the property, the Office of Public Works, OPW, is denied by virtue of a neighbour having decided to change an arrangement that had been in place when the previous landowner was in situ. Access to the house and its 200 acres, including for maintenance, has been suspended and is denied, and the public are massively discommoded. Lest it be forgotten, it is our duty to raise this issue in every way and at every time possible to ensure the State will be fully informed of its obligations as the caretaker of a national monument such as this, not only in Castletown but throughout the country, and of the need to protect, preserve and maintain such monuments.

I raise this deliberately now because I have had discussions with the line Minister, who tells me that there has been some progress in the sense that the matter has been referred to the Attorney General and that legal eagles have been detailed to deal with it to assess the possibility of making a claim prior to acquisition by compulsory purchase order. While that should have been done at least a year ago, it shows progress and demonstrates a recognition in the OPW that there has to be a solution. There is no sense in introducing a temporary arrangement or a solution that will suffice only until something else happens, or a reversionary lease, or a lease that is subject to somebody's whim to change from time to time.

On this occasion, as we near the end of the current Dáil, it is important to put in place certain parameters for the protection of national monuments such as Castletown House and its 200 acres, gardens and the heritage element of the matter concerned in a way that will carry on until the next Dáil. If it should so happen that matters are legally resolved in the meantime, so much the better, but it is important at this stage to ensure we will continue to pursue the matter indefinitely. Needless to say, we will try to continue to do so through this Dáil and into the next one if we are lucky enough to be returned to this House.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Many of my constituents will know Castletown House in Celbridge, as will many people from various parts of the country, given it is centrally located. I thank the Deputy for his long-held and ongoing interest in Castletown House and estate. He and other elected representatives are members of the Castletown House and estate stakeholders' working group.

The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, has chaired six meetings of this working group since he took responsibility for the OPW in April. At the most recent meeting, he made clear that he will continue to be fully committed to finding a resolution. He has also met residents on another access point, along with the chairman of the OPW, to see whether that could be a resolution for temporary staff access to maintain Castletown House and grounds, and that engagement will continue. While, if agreement can be reached, this would resolve the issue of temporary staff access, the Minister of State and the OPW continue to engage on finding broader solutions to access to the Castletown estate. They want to find a solution for visitor parking and are continuing to consider and work on all options, including M4 access. The OPW is also working on a potential parking solution with the Kildare Innovation Campus. The OPW hopes to begin some topographical work on this site in the coming weeks to assess the best way forward for access.

As part of the policy to seek to reunite the historic Castletown demesne lands with the house and lands in the care of the State, the OPW has sought on several occasions to purchase the lands in question, including when the lands were offered for sale on the open market in 2022. Despite the best efforts of the OPW, however, the State was outbid and, ultimately, the lands were acquired by a private buyer. It continues to be the strategic objective of the OPW to reunite all the lands. The agency remains open to negotiations with the landowners to purchase all or part of the subject lands. In line with a commitment the Minister of State gave to the working group, he met the owners to discuss this further, and engagement will continue.

The OPW is in ongoing intensive engagement with the Office of the Attorney General to have the most comprehensive and up-to-date legal advices available to it on access routes to the estate and rights of way. I understand the latest discussion took place today and will continue with a view to having the advices finalised shortly. This is a priority for the Minister of State and the Office of Public Works. The Minister of State is keenly aware that all stakeholders want to see Castletown House and estate, and the OPW's team, welcoming both visitors and the local community to enjoy all that Castletown has to offer. He and senior management in the OPW are committed to working with all stakeholders to find a resolution in respect of the immediate situation and the long-term desire as well.

The OPW remains committed to endeavouring to acquire lands that formed part of the original estate, where they become available, to reunite the demesne. I assure the Deputy that the Minister of State and the OPW are fully committed to working with him and all elected representatives and stakeholders to find a resolution.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate the Minister of State's, dedication to the cause and appreciate it is in our mutual interest that the matter be resolved satisfactorily. Towns in his constituency, such as Kilcloon and Dunboyne, as well as Celbridge, Leixlip, Maynooth and the surrounding areas, where there are large populations, have a huge requirement for outdoor events and a huge dedication to the concept of Castletown House being used for present and future generations in the pursuit of an amenity, for historical and tourism reasons and for future expansion. Upwards of 1 million people are expected to use the access routes in future and nothing can be done until such time as the matter of access has been resolved.

In the past, analogies were drawn with Lissadell House in Sligo on the basis the State was at a considerable loss. Of course, in this instance, the State is in the same position that the owner of Lissadell was in then and is now, and he won his case in court. Every time this issue is raised in the House, the same thing is involved. This is about access to the existing house and the existing estate, which is in the ownership of the OPW. Strictly speaking, therefore, the question to be asked is how we can depend on ensuring we will have access to our own property.

By "we", I mean the people of the country and the local interest groups, which have a very strong and supportive interest.

I thank the Minister of State for his efforts in this regard. I also thank the Ceann Comhairle for repeatedly allowing the matter to be aired in the House. As I said before, I hope we are both in the House to pursue this issue in the future, if given that opportunity. I again thank the Minister of State for his efforts. We need to dedicate ourselves to access. If access is denied or prevented, we will not be able to go anywhere.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The OPW is in ongoing and intensive engagement with the Office of the Attorney General to get the most up-to-date legal advice, and there was a discussion today. This engagement will continue in order to have the advice finalised very shortly. It is a priority for the Minister and the Office of Public Works. The interest of Deputy Durkan, the Ceann Comhairle and the public representatives in Kildare is very much appreciated.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am grateful to the Minister of State for being here to deal with this important issue. I acknowledge Deputy Durkan, who has managed to make the debate on Castletown an almost weekly event in the House.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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With your help, a Cheann Comhairle.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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If we were to express some regret, it is that progress has been slow on the part of the OPW. I do not know if the OPW knows exactly who it is dealing with when it is dealing with Deputy Durkan because in his long and distinguished career in this House, by God, he has shown a persistence like no other. We assume he will be pursuing the same matter in the next Dáil if it continues to be a problem, and we hope it does not.