Vol. 531 No. 1
141 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the extent and cost of the restoration works to date at the Geraldine Castle, Maynooth, County Kildare; the extent and cost of the remaining envisaged works; if works to date are on target in terms of expenditure; if the remaining funding required is now available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5181/01]
I am satisfied that good progress is being made on the restoration of Maynooth Castle and that the project remains on target to open to the public in the second half of this year.
Expenditure on the project in 2000 was £556,532, with a further £57,073 expended in January this year. The Deputy will be aware from previous parliamentary questions on this matter that the total estimated cost of the project is £1.3 million. I fully expect that the balance of the costs will be incurred before the end of 2001.
Once the castle is open to the public in the second half of 2001, my Department will then be in a position to assess the needs of the site in terms of visitor numbers and facilities and make a determination as to the level, if any, of additional works required to ensure its successful operation.
142 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if any further refurbishment or restoration works are planned for Castletown House, Celbridge, County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5182/01]
The west wing of the house is currently being re-roofed and is due for completion by the summer. There is a wide range of works yet to be undertaken at Castletown House, including restoration, provision of improved visitor reception facilities, parking and works to the grounds and outbuildings. It is intended to carry out these works on a phased basis.
143 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if any recent assessment has been carried out at the obelisk known as Connolly's Folly, Maynooth, County Kildare, with a view to early implementation of the protection and preservation of the building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5183/01]
The position remains unchanged from that outlined in my reply on 14 December 2000 to Parliamentary Question No. 220. The architectural advice available to my Department is that the folly is not under immediate threat, while the priority for Castletown House continues to be the restoration of the house itself together with the provision of visitor facilities and works to the grounds and auxiliary buildings surrounding the house.
