Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 Mar 1994

Vol. 440 No. 6

Written Answers. - National Monuments.

Paul Bradford

Question:

75 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Finance the number of national monuments and other properties which were purchased by the Office of Public Works since 1 January 1993; the total cost of each purchase; the budget for such purchases for 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Dempsey)

Properties purchased by the Office of Public Works fall into three general categories:

1. Sites acquired for conservation purposes because of their environmental value.

2. National Monuments Sites.

3. Other, general, acquisitions.

1.Sites purchased for conservation purposes

A total of 26 sites were purchased for conservation purposes since 1 January, 1993, and are categorised as follows:
	£
4,629 hectares of blanket bog at a total cost of	2,067,706.00
268 hectares of raised bog at a total cost of	299,091.00
22 hectares of coastal habitat at a total cost of	94,500.00
19 hectares of woodland at a total cost of	27,833.00
391 hectares of bird sites at a total cost of	282,000.00
Total expenditure	2,771,130.00

A sum of £500,000.00 is provided in the Office of Public Works's budget for acquisitions in 1994 and a further 1.5 million is available from the EC. The total expenditure will, however, depend on the site types purchased (certain priority habitats are eligible for 75 per cent EC funding and other less priority habitats are eligible for 50 per cent EC funding).

2.National Monuments Sites

National Monuments and associated lands and property at Carrowmore, Co. Sligo;
Mellifont Abbey, County Louth;
Trim Castle and Bective Abbey, County Meath;
Rosemary Hall, Roscrea, County Tipperary;
Tonaroasty Deserted Medieval Village, County Galway.
Total Expenditure	£250,000

The budget for the acquisition of national monuments in 1994 is £150,000.

Plot at No. 3 Spencer Row, Dublin -- adjacent to Store Street Garda Station;

Site for new Garda Station at Enniscorthy, County Wexford;

Site at Ronanstown Garda Station, Dublin;

Kill of the Grange Garda Station, Dublin;

Property adjoining Milford Garda Station, County Donegal;

Garda station premises at Foynes, County Limerick;

Former fire station premises at Tullamore, County Offaly for extension of Garda Station premises;

Site for new Garda Station at Bruff, County Limerick.

Total expenditure — £336,000

An amount of £1,120,000 is provided for in the budget for 1994 for the purchase of sites and buildings.

In addition, premises at Sarsfield House (Limerick), Mahon (Cork), and Ballinalee (Longford) were acquired in 1993 under the decentralisation programme. Payments on foot of these acquisitions in 1993 amounted to £1,654,000. Total payments in 1994, including that for the new offices at Tullamore, County Offaly, which are expected to be handed over in September 1994, will be of the order of £1,910,000.