Vol. 511 No. 2
18 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she has resumed discussions with Dúchas for the full restoration of Ennis Abbey in order that the stonework and other infrastructure can be preserved for future generations. [23718/99]
I am happy to assure the Deputy, from the outset, that my overriding concern in addressing the needs of Ennis Friary is to ensure that the stonework and other infrastructure at this important national monument will be preserved and protected for future generations. I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 199 of 1 July 1999. At that time, I intimated that it was originally planned to use funding from the Operational Programme for Tourism, OPT, 1994-99 to carry out works on this 13th century friary to the vaulted sacristy and latrine tower to the east of the friary site and to include an enhanced tourism attraction at the site. The main objective of this proposal was to allow for the housing indoors of the magnificent McMahon and O'Brien/Creagh tombs, with their stone panels of exceptional quality, which have deteriorated in recent years as a result of atmospheric pollution. As the Deputy will also be aware, following concerns expressed locally and arising from my own examination of the plans, I was not happy with the proposals and instructed that the OPT funding be re-directed for works at the monastic site at Scattery Island, County Clare. Of course, it was always my intention to again allocate sufficient funding for Ennis Friary when suitable proposals were arrived at.
I also intimated, at that time that as an alternative to the earlier scheme, I was considering two options which would either: house the stone panels in the area of the adjoining stables, orpreserve the panels outdoors using a specialist treatment on a cyclical basis.
The present position in so far as housing the panels in the stables area is concerned is that a feasibility scheme has been carried out which has confirmed that, in order to present the panels as a discrete non-fragmented tomb located in a properly controlled environment with a natural light setting where the intricate stone carvings could be best appreciated, a building, at least equally, if not even more obtrusive than that which was originally proposed, would be required. Such a development within the confines of the friary would be most inappropriate, in my view, and would thus be unacceptable to me. There remains an option to present the panels in an alternative, fragmented, manner within a building in the stables area which would remain faithful to the existing skyline of that area, but my Department does not own this site and I am not aware that the site in question is for sale.
The option of retaining the panels outdoors and treating them to withstand the atmospheric pollution is also being considered and I am awaiting advice from my officials as to whether this method of conservation is feasible and acceptable. I expect to be in a position to make a final decision on the necessary works at Ennis friary very soon. In this regard, I should inform the Deputy that, since the Friary itself is generally in good condition, I have no plans for its full restoration. However, I can assure the Deputy that I am prepared to make the necessary funds available to carry out the works at the friary once I made the relevant decision in the matter.
