The net amount originally allocated for Vote 9—Public Works and Buildings— for 1977, as shown in the Book of Estimates, was £25,868,000. In addition to this, the Government have since allocated to the Office of Public Works a further sum of £2,000,000 out of the additional £55.5 million being provided to improve job prospects following ratification of the new national pay agreement in February. This brings the net total being made available for Public Works and Buildings for the current year to £27,868,000.
It is intended that the additional allocation will be distributed over three subheads as follows:
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Subhead E—New Works, Alterations and Additions
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£1,600,000
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Subhead F1—Maintenance and Supplies
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£200,000
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Subhead G2—Arterial Drainage Construction Works
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£200,000
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I will be introducing a Supplementary Estimate later in the year to cover the additional allocation.
I will now comment on the various subheads that make up the Estimate. Subheads A1, A2, B1, B2 and C cover the administrative expenses of the Office of Public Works. The provision under subhead D covers purchases of sites and premises for various Government services, including the acquisition of the fee simple of some existing leasehold properties. The subhead provides also for the purchase of land required for the national monuments service and for national parks and amenity areas. As Deputies will be aware from previous statements the Commissioners of Public Works are actively engaged in the creation of a network of national parks throughout the country, in order to conserve areas of outstanding scenic, scientific, historic and recreational values for the benefit and enjoyment of our own people and visitors from abroad. The key to the establishment of such parks is, of course, the acquisition of lands suitable for such purposes and as the commissioners have no power to acquire such lands compulsorily the success of their programme depends to a great extent on the willingness of people to sell their lands for such a worthy purpose.
As we know there is a deep attachment to the soil in Ireland and a great reluctance to part with the ownership of land. It is gratifying, therefore, to record that in their negotiations so far the commissioners have met with an understanding and co-operative attitude from the various landowners approached and the successful completion of negotiations was due in large measure to this attitude.
During the past few months the commissioners took possession of the lands at Letterfrack and Kylemore, County Galway as a nucleus of a national park in Connemara to which I made reference when introducing last year's Estimate, and negotiations are at present in progress for a number of adjoining areas.
Because of the national and international importance of the Burren, County Clare, as an area of unique botanical, geological and archaeological interest, the Minister for Finance has authorised my office to establish a national park there. A start has been made by the acquisition of 59 acres in the Mullaghmore area north of Corrofin, a further 295 acres are at present being acquired and negotiations are in progress for the purchase of a number of other holdings. The purchase of the highly scenic area at Glena adjoining the Killarney Lakes has been completed and negotiations are well advanced for the acquisition of some further small but significant properties to round off the national park in that area.
Subhead E covers the cost of new and improved accommodation for various Government Departments and the services they administer and of improved facilities for these services. The building programme for Dublin and the provinces to which I referred last year is now in process of implementation. The cost of providing improved facilities at national parks, waterways and monuments and of certain marine works is also included under this subhead. The total amount being made available this year for these works is £7,600,000, that is, the £6,000,000 in the Estimate and the additional allocation of £1,600,000.
A list of all the works on which expenditure will be incurred in the current year has been supplied to Deputies. I will comment on the more significient items. The installation of a stand-by generator, to provide emergency electricity supply for Leinster House and Government Buildings in the event of power failure, is nearing completion. Additional space has been provided and fitted out for Oireachtas purposes in Kildare Street. The final stage of this work was completed recently. The space made available in Leinster House has been refurbished. The work of refurbishing the South Block of Government Buildings is almost completed and most of the accommodation is now in use. Work on the North Block will be started this year.
Provision is made for Clare Island. County Mayo, to continue a scheme to improve landing facilities in the interests of transport and communication with the mainland. The improvements involve widening the pier, raising the level of its deck, providing a sloping quay, a crane, a winch and a boat cradle. Due to contractual difficulties the completion of this work has suffered delay. There is provision also for a boring survey at Inishbofin, County Galway, to investigate the feasibility and estimated cost of dredging a channel which is necessary to improve transport facilities and communications with the mainland. Provision is also made for a boring survey at Courtmacsherry, County Cork, to investigate the possibility of constructing a new jetty in the commercial and sea angling interest.
Temporary additional accommodation has been provided in part of the former St. Vincent's Hospital premises at Lower Leeson Street for some of the State Laboratory staff and the planning of a new building to provide suitable permanent accommodation for the entire State Laboratory has been commenced.
Additional accommodation is being adapted and fitted out for some of the Valuation Office staff.
A total of £36,500 is being provided for works at the Ordnance Survey. The new printing building has been completed and work is well advanced on a scheme of improvements to the residential quarters and on the provision of canteen facilities.
A sum of £156,500 has been allocated to works for the Revenue Commissioners. £75,000 of this is in respect of the provision of improved office accommodation in Dublin and the remainder is for buildings in the border area, at Clones, Monaghan, Carrigans, Blacklion, Dundalk and Ballyshannon. I am glad to say that the new Customs Road Station at Monaghan and the new offices at Ballyshannon have been completed and that work is in progress at the custom post at Clones and at the Dundalk Customs Road Station.
I am providing £320,000 for the provision of improved facilities at parks, on the Shannon navigation and at national monuments.
A total of £77,000 is being provided for works at St. Enda's Rathfarnham. The first phase of the internal rehabilitation of the building is in progress and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. It is hoped to start work shortly on the provision of a natural history exhibition centre and of a garage, office and store for use in connection with the maintenance of the park.
The installation of the new water supply at Muckross House, Killarney is nearing completion and it is hoped to invite tenders for the sewerage scheme before the end of this year. This scheme will provide for the treatment of nutrients. Following the recent agreement with the trustees of Muckross House, Killarney in relation to a new management structure for the House, it has been decided to improve and expand the interpretive and educational aspects of the house so that visitors to the national park may obtain the greatest possible benefit from their visits. These improvements will be carried out over a period of three to five years and a provision of £7,000 has been included this year to enable the first stage to be put in hands.
I am pleased to say that a contract has been placed for the construction of a new visitors' waiting centre and caretaker's cottage at Gearhameen at the entrance to the Upper Lake, Killarney and a sum of £22,000 is being provided for this work during the current year.
Knockreer House—formerly Kenmare House—Killarney is to be adapted for use as a biological research and field studies centre related to Killarney National Park. Biological research is a vital function in the scientific management of a national park especially in an area like Killarney which embraces such a varied natural and semi-natural environment. To take advantage of the results of biological research in the park it is proposed to establish a non-residential field studies centre in this building. The house will also be used as an auxiliary visitor centre for the national park.
There is provision to clear the amount outstanding for the restoration carried out on the east wing of Kilkenny Castle. Since it was opened to the public in August last over 15,000 have visited the castle. Facilities are available for art exhibitions and music recitals and I am pleased that these facilities are being availed of by cultural organisations.
Last year I expressed the hope that a start would be made on the provision of additional public toilets in Phoenix Park. Due to planning difficulties the project has been delayed but it is hoped to make a start this year on the provision of toilet and car parking facilities near Knockmaroon Gate. This area is being frequented by increasing numbers of visitors since the opening of the Furry Glen nature trail.
When introducing last year's Estimate I indicated that our scheme for the development of the Phoenix Park extension was being re-examined in the light of Dublin Corporation's proposals for road improvements for the area. Deputies will recall that it was intended to incorporate a public golf course in the overall scheme. It has since transpired that a much reduced area of land will be available for development and it has, therefore, been decided to abandon the golf course proposal. The commissioners intend instead to prepare alternative plans for the area which will provide recreational facilities for a wider public. Details of these plans will be announced in due course.
The comprehensive planning study of Glenveagh National Park which I mentioned last year and which is being carried out in conjunction with An Bord Fáilte is making satisfactory progress and some basic conclusions have already been reached concerning the development of access points and the location of a main visitor reception area. Arrangements have recently been made with Donegal County Council for certain roadworks at the main access point and it is expected that these works will be undertaken shortly. Until such time as these and other works are completed public access to the park will have to be curtailed.
A sum of £8,000 has been allocated for preliminary development work at Connemara National Park. This will include the provision of a car park and limited visitor facilities at the Letterfrack end of the park. Planning has commenced on the development of an amenity area on the mainland opposite Garnish Island.
The sum of £91,000 has been provided this year for the development of the River Shannon. The number of people taking cruising holidays has increased steadily over the last few years and the Shannon has now become a major tourism asset. The provision of facilities to keep pace with the increasing cruiser traffic is vitally important and to this end my office are carrying out an extensive programme of works. These include the construction of a major new harbour at Portumna, County Galway, and of additional landing places at strategic points on the river and lakes. The restoration of the Lough Allen Canal from Battlebridge to Acres Lough is now nearing completion and it is hoped to open this section of the navigation to traffic within a matter of months.
Last year the Office of Public Works received the Shannon Tourism and Recreation Study which they had commissioned in conjunction with Bord Fáilte. This document, which assesses the recreational and tourist development of the Shannon and what is required to cater for it, has proved very helpful and will be used as a basis for development on the Shannon over the next decade.
A total of £22,000 is required this year for new works in connection with the provision of facilities for visitors to certain national monuments. At Cahir Castle, County Tipperary, a national heritage exhibition centre, set up jointly by Bord Fáilte and the Office of Public Works, has been open to the public since August, 1975, and has proved to be a great attraction. The provision of the ancillary facilities will be completed this year.
The restoration of the vicars choral at the Rock of Cashel to serve as a visitors' reception area, which is nearing completion, should enhance the public's appreciation of this great monument. Improved visitor facilities are being planned at Clonmacnoise. These will operate in conjunction with a new jetty to improve accessibility to the monument from the Shannon. Negotiations for the purchase of the necessary land are in progress. Work is well advanced on the construction of an office building at Inchicore to house staff of the computer section of the Department of the Public Service.
The provision under the heading of the Department of Justice amounts to £1,282,000. This includes for the improvement of the accommodation of the courts of justice, but the main bulk of the provision is in respect of the erection of new Garda stations and the improvement of existing Garda buildings. This programme is going very well. Fifteen stations were completed last year and work is in progress at 34 centres. Three more contracts are about to be placed and planning of a number of others is in hands. Amongst the centres recently completed are Granard, where a new district headquarters has been opened, and a new divisional headquarters at Limerick which will be opened shortly. Work is in progress on buildings at Castleblayney, Castlerea, Kanturk, Newcastle West and Swords. A scheme for major improvements at Portlaoise Garda station has commenced and it is expected that a contract will be placed shortly for an extension to the station at Finglas. Planning is well advanced for a divisional headquarters at Monaghan and for district headquarters at Carrick-on-Shannon and Manorhamilton.
For the purpose of providing improved accommodation for the courts of justice the former Four Courts Hotel has been purchased and accommodation leased in a new building in the vicinity. Provision is being made for adaptation work at these premises. The new offices in Athlone for some sections of the Department of Education are nearly completed and will shortly be available for occupation.
We have two projects for the National Museum. It is hoped that work will commence this year on the rewiring of the main building. Additional accommodation is being provided in a rented development at Merrion Row and when it has been fitted out to the requirements of the Museum it will give much needed extra space for the exhibition of their expanding collections.
Planning is proceeding for a scheme to provide expansion space for the National Library in premises in Kildare Street and in Leinster Lane. The library badly needs this extra space to relieve serious congestion in their existing premises.
The new offices in Castlebar were completed and occupied last year and provision is made here to pay balances of contractors' and suppliers' accounts.
New offices are to be provided at Furbo for some staff of the Department of the Gaeltacht. Planning is in hands and it is expected that tenders for the construction work will be invited this year.
We now come to works totalling £525,200 for the Department of Agriculture and for the Fisheries Division which was until recently part of that Department. The items include new buildings, alterations and additions to existing buildings at various agricultural centres and improved accommodation at the Botanic Gardens, including a new library and herbarium, to provide better research facilities for students.
The following is some additional information on particular items. Detailed planning for the provision of new buildings at the Botanic Gardens is well advanced. Tenders have been invited for the erection of a new staff and student canteen. A total of £225,000 is included for works at Abbotstown Farm. The provision of a milking parlour and incinerator is nearing completion. Work is in progress on the new laboratory and office accommodation for the scientific and research staff of the Fisheries Division and on the erection of a residence for the field station manager. Tenders for the provision of loose box accommodation are under consideration.
Work is in progress on the provision of additional facilities, including a new office building and equipment store, at the performance testing station, Tully, County Kildare. It is now proposed that the new building to house the butter and seed testing stations will be erected at Abbotstown Farm instead of at Thorndale as originally proposed. The accommodation requirements are at present being drawn up by the Department of Agriculture. Work has commenced on the provision of an extension to the brucellosis laboratory at Thorndale. A contract has been placed for the provision of a new office building for the district veterinary staff at Raphoe, County Donegal.
Planning is proceeding for the provision of extra accommodation for students at Ballyhaise Agricultural College. An extention to the fisheries research station at Dunmore East fishery harbour centre is required to cater for the expansion of the station's activities. Provision is required for the construction of a fisheries research station at Castletownbere fishery harbour centre. Work will commence shortly on a scheme of improvements to the Geological Survey Office in Kildare Street.
A contract is about to be placed for the erection of a new training school and synoptic reporting station for the meteorological service of the Department of Transport and Power at Murrough, County Galway. Tenders for the erection of a new meteorological station at Claremorris, County Mayo are under consideration. A new meteorological station is planned for Johnstown Castle, County Wexford.
A sum of £436,800 is required for the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. A new post office at Donegal, an extension to Letterkenny post office and the modernisation of Cobh post office have been completed while a new post office at Clonmel is in course of erection. Planning for new post offices at Longford, Mullingar and Tipperary is well advanced and new post offices at Fermoy and Navan are proposed.
The modernisation of Ballyhaunis post office is in progress while modernisation schemes are planned for Enniscorthy, Limerick, Roscommon, Thurles and Waterford post offices. The adaptation of a former school in Ballinlough, Cork, for use as a sorting office is in progress. Additional sorting office accommodation in Dublin is planned. The installation of a ventilation system in the Central Sorting Office, Sheriff Street and of a sprinkler system at St. John's Road depot have been completed.
In addition to the schemes covered by this Estimate the Office of Public Works will carry out works in connection with the telephone services at an estimated cost of £4 million which will be met from the telephone capital account.
An amount of £189,500 is provided for works for embassy buildings abroad. Fitting-out has been completed at the residence for the EEC mission in Brussels, the combined residence and chancery in Moscow— including the furnishing of staff accommodation—and the chancery in Vienna. The fitting out of the new residence in Lisbon, the chancery at Berne and the embassies at Cairo, Jeddah and Teheran is in progress.
Improvements have been completed at the Paris embassy and are in progress at the London embassy and at the consulate general in New York. Improvements are being planned for the residences in Bonn and Ottawa. The erection of a new chancery and residence in Canberra is being planned.
A site has been acquired at Dún Laoghaire for a new employment exchange and planning of the proposed new building is in hands. I am glad to be able to say that progress is being made with the programme whereby the State will design and erect its own office buildings. Construction work is now in progress on stage 1 of a new Garda Síochána headquarters at the Depot, Phoenix Park, on a Meteorological Office headquarters at Glasnevin and on two other office buildings, one in Shelbourne Road and the other at Earlsfort Terrace. It is hoped to be able to invite tenders this year for a new building at Beggars Bush to house the Geological Survey and the Labour Court, and for the reconstruction of blocks 8-10 in the Upper Yard at Dublin Castle.
It is also hoped to invite tenders in the current year for new Government offices at Cork, Waterford, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Thurles and Kilkenny. Planning of a number of other projects is proceeding well including headquarters for the Department of Defence, a headquarters for the Dublin Metropolitan Garda, an office development on the former St. Vincent's Hospital property at the rere of 93-99 Lower Lesson Street, the rehabilitation of nos. 14-16 Upper Merrion Street, and stage II of the Garda Headquarters at the Garda Depot.
In all these developments the Office of Public Works are fully conscious of their obligations to preserve our architectural heritage through conservation and preservation of buildings of architectural or historical merit with which they are concerned. The greatest possible care is taken in relation to any such buildings which might be affected by development proposals and the policy is being continued of calling upon outside expertise as well as upon the expert knowledge available within the office.
There is provision in respect of the fitting-out of premises, mainly rented office blocks, for occupation by various Departments. This covers the erection of partitions, supply of furniture, light fittings and so on. The scheme for the adaptation for concert hall purposes of part of the UCD premises at Earlsfort Terrace is almost ready and it is hoped to invite tenders within a couple of months. If all goes well it should be possible to start work on the site at the end of this year. The work will take about two years to complete, dependent of course on the availability of the Great Hall and the other areas required.
Planning is well advanced for the next stage of the restoration of the Royal Hospital. As I mentioned last year this is a large and complex project involving careful restoration. Planning is a slow and painstaking exercise calling for a good deal of research. While it is difficult in the circumstances to say precisely when the planning will be completed it is hoped to be in a position to invite tenders towards the end of the year. The work of restoration will extend over a period of years.
Subhead F1 provides for the normal maintenance of State-owned property, which includes such varied items as Government offices, garda stations, post offices, agricultural institutions, embassies abroad and State harbours. The subhead covers also the management and maintenance of parks under the control of the Commissioners of Public Works. Broadly speaking, the commissioners are required to manage these parks as public parks for the general purpose of the recreation and enjoyment of the public. In the special case of national parks there is the paramount obligation to conserve the natural resources of the parks which in fact is the primary purpose of creating such parks.
I should like to take this opportunity to refer again to a question which has been raised with me by a number of organisations in recent years. This is the subject of camping in national parks. I can understand readily why national parks would appeal to campers and caravanners alike, and I am aware that in certain countries, where national parks are very large, camping has been allowed in specific areas laid out for that purpose. I am aware also however, that this practice has in recent years raised serious problems for the park services concerned. Experience has shown that these camping sites become so popular that there is an ever-increasing demand for expansion of the sites, leading to the gradual erosion and degradation of the natural resources of the parks.
Originally only the simplest camping facilities were sought and provided but with the passage of time and the enactment of legislation to control such sites it became necessary to provide more sophisticated facilities such as roads, fences, water supplies, electricity and sewage hookups, restaurants, washrooms, lavatories, large reception and entertainment centres, control and supervision buildings and so on. Such camp grounds are essentially urban in character and devoid of natural atmosphere and have in some instances been referred to as "camping slums". They also eventually create the necessity for night supervision and arrangements for the arrest and detention of offenders.
Furthermore, the presence of overnight visitors in national parks poses a serious threat to wildlife. At Killarney we have during the years had problems with deer poachers and while we now have an effective wardening system in operation we would make the wardens' job a lot more difficult if we were to permit camping or other overnight stays in the park.
It has been suggested that a special case can be made for scouts and other youth groups. This I do not accept. In the first place the commissioners would be required to decide what youth groups should and what groups should not be allowed to avail of the camp grounds. This would be an unenviable if not impossible task. In the second place if scouts and other organised youth groups were allowed to camp why should individual family groups, whose only chance of a holiday may be a camping holiday, be refused permission?
In any event, judging by the number of applications which are received each year from scouting and other youth organisations it would be necessary to set aside an extensive area of the park to cope with the demand. It is my firm opinion that camping and caravan sites would be best located outside our national parks and managed by private enterprise. I am satisfied, therefore, that the decision not to allow camping in national parks is the right one and must stand.
This subhead covers also the cost of maintaining the Shannon Navigation. As I said earlier, the popularity of the River Shannon for pleasure cruising continues to grow and all the indications are that this trend will continue in the years ahead. This calls for a slightly increased rate of expenditure on maintenance as well as on additional facilities, but this is money well spent. For the effective management of the Shannon navigation new bye-laws relevant to the present usage are essential but to enable such bye-laws to be made revised legislation will be required. I am hopeful that I will have a Bill ready for introduction before the end of the year.
Subhead F2 provides for the supply of replacement furniture and of additional items required for existing State buildings. Subhead F3, which provides for rents, will require a substantially increased provision over the 1976 figure. This is accounted for partly by leases coming due for review and partly by the leasing of new premises to relieve overcrowding and to replace old premises which had become unsuitable.
Subhead F4 bears the cost of fuel and light for all Government offices. The continuing increases in the cost of all fuel and the amount of additional accommodation requiring heat and light account for the increase in the provision necessary under this subhead.
Subhead F5 provides for the cost of compensation and so on arising from damage to the property of external governments. The provision of £10,000 is required to meet the balance of the expenditure incurred on the reconstruction of the former British embassy premises at Merrion Square.
Subhead F6 is a new subhead which is required to meet expenditure by the Commissioners of Public Works on repairs to Waterford courthouse. The Minister for Justice, acting under section 6 of the Courthouses (Provision and Maintenance) Act, 1935 directed the commissioners to put the accommodation at this courthouse into proper order. An estimate of the cost of the work has not yet been made but it is hoped that it will be possible to have work commenced by the end of the year. The costs and expenses incurred by the commissioners on the work are, under the Act referred to, recoverable from the local authorities.
The G subheads provide for expenditure in connection with the arterial drainage programme which is being carried out under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. Subhead G1 provides for the carrying out of certain hydrometric studies and of comprehensive drainage surveys which are a necessary preliminary to arterial drainage schemes. For this, £91,000 is requested; last year's provision was £79,000. As in the case of previous years, most of the provision is needed to continue hydrometric investigations. The amount included for catchment surveys is £10,500.
It was hoped last year to do cost-benefit studies on the Bonet and Boyle catchments but much had to be done and these studies did not get under way. I now hope that they will be carried out this year. The report on the Maigue study is at present being printed for publication.
Subhead G2 provides for expenditure on drainage schemes in progress. The sum of £3,325,000 is being made available for 1977, that is, £3,125,000 in the Estimate and the additional allocation of £200,000. This amount which is an increase of over £100,000, or about 45 per cent, on last year's provision, will enable operations on the Boyne and Maigue schemes to be accelerated. It is hoped that the Corrib-Mask-Robe scheme can be commenced later in this year.
Work has been in progress for more than 30 years on arterial drainage schemes carried out under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, and perhaps the time has come to review our policies and programmes in the light of what has been achieved in the meantime. As this House is aware, current programmes are based on settled priorities accorded to about 60 of the most important catchments in the country and this has facilitated orderly planning up to now. We must, however, ask ourselves from time to time whether longestablished policies and priorities continue to be the best ones to pursue in the light of ever changing circumstances. For example, there are several hundred smaller catchments which are not included in any priority list and for which the prospects of the benefits of arterial drainage are remote so long as present policies are pursued. I am not satisfied that the criteria of size should determine that such cases should continue to be excluded indefinitely from consideration. While continuing, therefore, for the present to direct our main effort to the catchments in the established priority lists I have arranged for a review of policy to ascertain if it would be appropriate to broaden our present programme so that some of the smaller catchments could be included in the future.
A total of £1,163,000, an increase of £134,000 over last year will be required under subhead G3 which provides for the maintenance of completed drainage schemes and embankment works. The increase in expenditure under this heading is attributable to increased wages and other costs. As statutorily provided, the cost of maintenance is recoverable from the county councils concerned.
Last year's provision of £1,000 for the acquisition of lands under the District of Fergus Drainage Act, 1943, is being repeated. A total of £917,000 is required for subhead H for the purchase and maintenance of engineering plant and machinery, mainly for arterial drainage work, the purchase of stores and the payment of wages to the staff of the central engineering workshop.
Subhead I bears the cost of the construction and maintenance of coast protection schemes. Coast erosion is a problem which is constantly being raised with me and I am very concerned that the Office of Public Works should be in a position to investigate and reach decisions on all cases submitted to them at a much faster rate than at present. As we know, property affected by coast erosion is not just being damaged but is being irrevocably destroyed. I have, therefore, arranged that all aspects of the service will be reviewed with a view to accelerating the pace of operations.
In this connection I must mention too the contribution which the removal of sand and gravel from the seashore is making to the problem. This practice has developed from what was, some years ago, the removal by local farmers for their own use of moderate quantities of sand and gravel in cart loads, to the current large scale exploitation of these deposits by the use of tractors and trailers. There is much evidence to show that such deposits removed from one location are being replenished almost entirely at the expense of material which is being eroded from somewhere else along the coast. It is futile to be preparing plans for works to deal with the problem of coast erosion as long as the removal of large quantities of beach material— a contributory if not the sole cause— would continue to be permitted.
The provision in this year's subhead includes £26,000 for maintenance on coast protection schemes and the balance is required for a new scheme which has been sanctioned for Enniscrone, County Sligo. In this connection I would like to pay a tribute to the Sligo County Council who decided to provide their contribution to the cost of the scheme out of the rates to enable an early start to be made on the work.
The amount of £754,000 is being provided for the national monuments service under subhead J1, to maintain the present levels of conservation activity and of archaeological research.
It is proposed to start major conservation works this year at Ferns Castle, County Wexford, Gallarus Castle, County Kerry, Gleninagh Castle, County Clare, and at the ancient monastic settlement on Skellig Michael, County Kerry. Major works of conservation are continuing at, inter alia, the Casino in Marino, Dublin, Lusk Church tower, County Dublin, Ross Castle, County Kerry, Charles Fort and James Fort near Kinsale, County Cork, at the Boyne Valley sites at Newgrange and Knowth, and at the early Christian monastery at Inishmurray Island, County Sligo.
Grants for archaeological research will be made again this year, enabling the investigation of the major site at Knowth to continue as well as the archaeological excavation of the early monastic settlement on Inishcealtra Island, County Clare.
I have been devoting some attention to the question of amending the legislation relating to monuments. The principal statute at present is the National Monuments Act, 1930. Some amendments were made in 1954 but it became quite evident that it was time that we undertook a comprehensive review to see what changes were required to bring the legislation up to date.
I would like to stress that the existing legislation has been reasonably satisfactory but changes in land use and development, agricultural methods and so on, have increased the risks to our monuments and we have to devise new measures to protect them. It is also important, as I stated last year, to stop unauthorised interference with historic wrecks in our territorial waters. I am glad to say that good progress is being made with the preparation of proposals for revised legislation. All going well I will have a Bill ready for introduction in the House later this year or early in 1978.
The total cost of the conservation and restoration of Holycross Abbey is borne initially by the grant-in-aid provided by the special subhead J2. The cost of the restoration is being refunded by the diocesan authorities. While the main works have been completed and the building reopened for public use for some time now, there are still some minor jobs outstanding but I expect that these will be completed in a month or so.
In addition to the works covered by this Vote, the Office of Public Works are also responsible for work on primary schools, telephone exchanges, prison buildings and the construction and improvement of harbour works for the Department of Fisheries and for Roinn na Gaeltachta. This means that this year the total gross expenditure for which the office will be responsible will be well over £50 million.
In my statement I have given an idea of the widespread and varied activities of the Office of Public Works. If any Deputy would like further information on any matter which I have mentioned or on any matter which I have omitted to mention and in which the Deputy has a particular interest, I shall try to give it to him in my reply.
