Vol. 415 No. 7
24 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on the availability of houses which are the property of the State in the vicinity of Killarney National Park, County Kerry, which are at present unoccupied; and if he would be prepared to make them available to the local authority on a tenancy basis to help relieve the huge housing waiting list in the area.
The residences in Killarney National Park are mostly located in the former Muckross Estate which was given to the nation as a gift by Senator Arthur Vincent in 1932. The Bourn Vincent Memorial Park Act, 1932, gives statutory effect to the acceptance of the gift and to the conditions which apply to it. One of these conditions prohibits the State from granting leases of any part of the estate and for this reason it would not be possible to dispose of any dwellings therein to any other party. This applies to all properties within the park, irrespective of whether they are occupied or not.
Furthermore, the majority of the residences are allocated to park employees by virtue of their being employed in the park and for the better performance of their duties. The occupants are fully aware that the residences were allocated to them on the basis that they will be required to vacate the premises on their ceasing to be employed in the park or when requested to do so by the Office of Public Works.
The Deputy may also wish to know that retired park employees who wish to remain in occupation of their park accommodation are facilitated when the residence in question is not required immediately for another employee or for other management purposes.
I might also point out that, as the vast majority of park employees who occupy houses on the estate are from Killarney, the Office of Public Works are already helping to relieve pressure on the public housing lists in the area.
