Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Mar 2008

Vol. 649 No. 1

Hospital Services.

Deputy Seymour Crawford

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important issue and I thank the Minister for State, Deputy Máire Hoctor, for answering, in the absence of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney.

While this has specifically to do with the services being removed from Monaghan General Hospital, it is clearly a long-term plan of this Minister, with the backing of her Fianna Fáil and Green Party colleagues, to wind down the services at all small hospitals throughout the country. The report by Mr. Stephen Mulvaney sent by Mr. Ray Mitchell to all Oireachtas Members in the north east clearly states on page 8 that the critical care unit, better known as the high care unit at Monaghan General Hospital, will be closed down this year, all acute services will be removed and that the 24 hour seven-day accident and emergency unit, previously known as the treatment room, will be wound down to a five-day 12 hour service, for minor issues only. At the same time this same Executive advises on page 2 of the report that no service will be removed until an equally good or a better service is available.

The reality is that the site of the new hospital for the north east has not even been announced. Cavan General Hospital cannot cope with its present workload and the special adviser to the former health board, Mr. Finbarr Lennon, has advised by letter that the situation in Drogheda is completely unsafe because of its present workload.

The Taoiseach in the Dáil today emphasised the fact that the distance from services will obviously mean that there can be delays in those services being delivered and to him that seemed to be acceptable. However, as one who was glad to have the services of the high care unit in Monaghan General Hospital just last year, I am not prepared to sit idly by and allow such critical services to be removed. On a continual basis I meet people whose lives have been saved by that unit and who certainly would not have survived the journey to either Cavan or Drogheda.

During the period Monaghan General Hospital was "off call", at least 17 lives were lost unnecessarily and no doubt even in the last few days others would have been lost if we were in that same position. At this late stage I urge the Minister, Deputy Harney, to consult with the senior personnel concerned in Monaghan General Hospital to explain to them how their patients will be dealt with after the proposals by the Health Service Executive are implemented. She should stop the movement now, at least until the new hospital is working.

I further ask my constituency colleagues whether they are happy that all these services should be removed at a time when general practitioners cannot get personnel to deal with all the demands within their structures. Newcomers cannot get into general practice. It is clear from a reply received from the Minister this evening that she does not understand what is happening within the sector. She is clearly unaware of the lack of trust between the HSE, her officials, and the staff implementing systems on the ground. It is even more clear that the Minister has allowed the HSE to get out of control — it simply takes its own decisions, as it likes — and she has no interest in ensuring that people's health is top priority. Taxpayers' money should be properly utilised, given the fact that Monaghan General Hospital has a prime theatre, a first-class high quality treatment room and staff that can give a high quality and economic service. However, this clearly means nothing to the Minister or this Government.

I want to emphasise to the Minister of State that I am talking about a document issued by the HSE concerning the north east transformation programme. It is not scaremongering, but rather stating simple facts. The joke, however, is that it refers to "improving the safety and quality of patient care", and states that at its core the north east transformation programme is a risk mitigation strategy.

How can a critical care unit be removed from Monaghan General Hospital, when the Minister does not even have a single bed to put patients into in Cavan or Drogheda and when the man in charge of Drogheda says the situation there is extremely serious and unsafe? Yet HSE management — not the medical staff — is going ahead with the winding down and proposed closure within 2008 of those services at Monaghan General Hospital. That situation is certainly not acceptable to me. I am simply asking for some commonsense.

Finally, I say without apology that the Minister, Deputy Harney, was able to travel to America the other day to look at new systems. She has not once visited Monaghan General Hospital, or Cavan, for that matter.

Deputy Máire Hoctor

I am taking the Adjournment on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Mary Harney, the Minister for Health and Children.

The Health Service Executive transformation programme is designed to build a health system that is appropriate to the 21st century and is in line with the model of care emerging internationally. The transformation programme is expected to deliver an integrated care system with local and regional hospitals functioning within a co-ordinated, integrated clinical network as part of the wider system of primary, community and continuing care.

The HSE has advised that the north east transformation programme is approaching the end of its initial phase of planning and is moving towards detailed design and implementation. Operational management and transformation management arrangements in the region have now been linked in order to achieve full integration of the transformation programme with the management of operations.

The Department understands that the HSE north east made a presentation recently on the north east transformation programme to meetings of two committees of the regional health forum, Dublin and north east. The HSE advises it emphasised a clear commitment that existing services in the region will remain in place until they are replaced with higher quality, safer or more appropriate services. It also emphasised that an indicative list of measures outlined in the presentation is a draft work in progress.

The HSE has indicated that it is not possible until the detailed planning phase is complete to be definitive as to what aspects of the north east transformation will be implemented during 2008-09. An indicative list which was included in the presentation is dependent on a range of factors including significant change management and changes to work practices. The degree and pace of change will also be influenced by the extent to which resources can be freed up by the HSE for re-investment in transformation initiatives. The HSE has advised that no decisions have been taken on reducing services in the north east. The HSE is facing a challenging year and is exploring, in the case of the north east, how best to deliver on service plan targets within the level of resources available.

With regard to the critical care unit in Monaghan Hospital, the Department is advised by the HSE that international best practice evidence suggests that in the region of 200 ventilations per annum for level 3 critical care is the appropriate critical mass of patients per annum. This critical mass is related to improved patient outcomes and ensures the necessary skills and competencies required to deliver an optimal critical care service.

The HSE has advised that less than 20 patients per annum fall into this category of level 3 critical care at Monaghan. Since the intensive care unit in Cavan General Hospital has capacity to facilitate these patients, it is a priority for the HSE, as set out in the Teamwork report, Improving Safety and Achieving Better Standards — An Action Plan for Health Services in the North East, to have these patients treated in Cavan.

The relevant clinical transfer protocols and reconfiguration of anaesthetics across the Cavan-Monaghan hospital group are being developed by the HSE critical care clinical network. When these are completed the transfer of care will take place, thus improving the safety and quality of care for these patients. The HSE has indicated that the relevant clinical protocols for the development of the minor injuries treatment unit at Monaghan hospital are currently being developed by the emergency care clinical network in conjunction with Cavan-Monaghan hospital group management. There have been a number of significant improvements at Monaghan General Hospital, including two newly refurbished inpatient medical wards. This project, which cost €5 million, consists of two 25-bed inpatient wards, one male and one female, each of which provides a range of multi-bedded and single rooms. The ward project builds on the investment of €1.2 million in new equipment, an upgrade of the pharmacy and general facility upgrades for the hospital.

Deputy Seymour Crawford

They closed the rest.

Deputy Máire Hoctor

The HSE has informed the Department that the role of Monaghan General Hospital will be to provide a range of diagnostic, outpatient day cases and some inpatient treatment services within clinical networks. Significant developments have taken place regarding the provision of surgical services across the Cavan-Monaghan hospital interface. Emergency surgical services on a 24-hour, seven-day basis are provided on the Cavan site while significant elements of diagnostic, outpatient and day case services are provided on the Monaghan site. This has resulted in lower waiting times for outpatient appointments and inpatient elective services. Since the reconfiguration of Cavan-Monaghan surgical services, patients can be seen by the visiting consultant surgeon on the day of referral by the general practitioner.

Monaghan General Hospital has an important role to play in the provision of health services in the north east. This view was confirmed in the Teamwork report and also in the north-east transformation programme.

Deputy Seymour Crawford

The Teamwork report does not even refer to Monaghan. I am sorry to say that but I do not blame the Minister of State.

Caillteanais Postanna.

Deputy Dinny McGinley

Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam an cheist thábhachtach seo a thógáil ar an Athló. Tá lúcháir orm go bhfuil an t-Aire é féin anseo chun éisteacht leis an méid atá le rá agam agus, b'fhéidir, freagra deimhneach a thabhairt a thabharfaidh misneach do muintir na Gaeltachta. Ar ndóigh, baineadh geit as gach éinne Déardaoin seo caite nuair a d'fhogair lucht Iasachtaí Críonna go raibh siad chun a gcuid monarcha a dhúnadh sna Ghaeltachtaí uilig, ó Ghaoth Dobhair i mo chontae féin, Dhún na nGall, siar go Maigh Eo agus síos go dtí an Daingean, i ndáilcheantar mo chomhghleacaithe, an Teachta Ó Síocháin. Tá 108 post caillte, beagnach 40 acu i mo dháilcheantar féin. Cuireann an dóigh inar láimhseáil an chomhlacht an fógra seo isteach go mór orainn mar ionadaí poiblí. Tháinig na hoibrithe isteach maidin Déardaoin cosúil le gach lá eile, ach ag 3.10 i.n. an lá sin dúradh leo go raibh an monarcha le dúnadh ansin. Bhí orthu dul abhaile gan teacht isteach riamh arís. Ní bhfuair siad fógra d'aon chineál — seachtain, lá, nó fiú uair a' chloig. Sílim gur droch-iompar amach is amach is ea oibrithe a thug seirbhís go dílis don tionscal a ligint chun siúil sa chaoi seo.

Caithfidh mé a rá go raibh dóchas mór againn uilig i dTír Chonaill nuair a bunaíodh an tionscal seo cúpla bliain ó shin. Tá mé cinnte go raibh áthas ar na Ghaeltachtaí eile nua-thionscal nach raibh bunaithe ar an ndéantúsaíocht nó an sean-tionscal traidisiúnta a fháil. Cheap daoine gur bánú lá úr don Ghaeltacht ab ea na tionscail seo, go dtí go bhfuaireamar an buille Déardaoin seo caite. Ní amháin go bhfuil mé ag caint faoi mo cheantar féin — Gaoth Dobhair, ar a bhfuil aithne maith ag an Aire, Chloich Cheann Fhaola agus na Rosáin. Tá mé ag caint freisin faoi oibrithe as cheantar Cill Chartha — Gaeltacht iar-dheisceart na chontae — os rud é go ndúirt an chomhlacht seo go raibh sé chun 120 post a lonnú ansin. Bhí an-obair déanta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta le bliain anuas chun monarcha a ullmhú don tionscal úr. Nuair a dhein an t-údarás suirbhé i gceantar Cill Chartha le bliain anuas, fuair sé amach go raibh 360 daoine óga ann ag feitheamh le fostaíocht. Ar ndóigh, nuair a tháinig an fógra seo Dé Déardaoin seo caite, ní amháin gur chailleamar na postanna ar fud na Gaeltachta, ach chaill muintir Cill Chartha an dóchas a bhí acu go mbeadh postanna ar fáil dóibh sa tsamhraidh.

I am delighted to have to opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment. Last Thursday's announcement by Contact 4 came as a thunderbolt out of the blue and resounded from Donegal to Dingle. One hundred and eight jobs were lost, 40 of which were in Donegal. They were wiped out in a flash without warning. Workers who reported dutifully for work, as usual, on Thursday last were informed at 3.30 p.m. that afternoon that their jobs were gone. No prior notice was given, nor was any indication of the impending doom. The staff were just shown the door in a most brutal fashion.

The announcement was a double whammy for Donegal. In addition to there being disappointment in Gweedore over the loss of 40 jobs, the residents of Kilcar, who were expecting Contact 4 to locate there this spring, with the promise of 120 jobs in three stages, are deeply disappointed. A survey carried out by Údarás na Gaeltachta in the Kilcar area in the past year found that 360 people in the locality were awaiting employment. Need I say more?

Donegal can ill afford the loss of these jobs. It already has the highest unemployment rate in the entire country. Coincidentally, a CSO survey issued last Thursday showed that the per capita income in Donegal is the lowest in the country. We all know there is a strong correlation between employment and income. The higher the rate of unemployment, the lower the income.

I appeal to the Minister, Údarás na Gaeltachta and any agencies available to retrain the workers, including FÁS, to redouble their efforts to replace the jobs as soon as possible. Jobs have been draining out of the county, not only from the Gaeltacht, le roinnt blianta anuas. I am delighted the Minister is present to respond, unlike some other Ministers, who do not have the time to take Adjournment debates. I ask him to address the needs of the workers to whom I referred. They are probably all the sole earners in their households. They have great responsibilities and must make mortgage repayments and meet the cost of their children's third level education. They are out of a job, have a bleak future and depend on the Minister and Údarás na Gaeltachta chun sólás a thaispeáint dóibh.

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív)

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an Teachta McGinley as ucht an cheist seo a ardú agus deis a thabhairt dom soiléiriú a thabhairt ar chúrsaí maidir leis an gcomhlacht seo. Mar a léirigh mé sa ráiteas poiblí a d'eisigh mé ar 28 Feabhra 2008 nuair a fograíodh an drochscéal maidir le fostaíocht sa Ghaeltacht, is cúis imní dom féin agus d'Údarás na Gaeltachta aon phostanna a bheith á gcailliúint in aon tionscal Gaeltachta. Tuigim go maith an imní atá ar an Teachta agus ar gach éinne faoin líon postanna atá caillte le dúnadh an chomhlachta Contact 4. Tháinig an buille seo aniar aduaidh orainn ar fad, go háirithe na fostaithe nach bhfuair fógra leathlae féin fiú. Is trua linn uilig gurb amhlaidh a bhí an scéal. Tá a fhios agam go raibh a sheacht ndícheall déanta ag Údaras na Gaeltachta chun teacht ar chomhréiteach níos sásúla leis an gcomhlacht. Ar an drochuair, ní raibh rath ar na hiarrachtaí an uair seo.

Chuir príomhaí Contact 4 in iúl d'Údarás na Gaeltachta an tseachtain seo caite go rabhthas ag dúnadh na dtrí chomhlacht Gaeltachta atá ag feidhmiú i nGaoth Dobhair, in Acaill agus sa Daingean le feidhm láithreach mar gheall ar an titim thubaisteach ar an ngnó iasachtaí agus morgaistí a bhí mar dhúshraith ghnó ag an gcomhlacht sin. Cuireadh an cinneadh seo in iúl dom Déardaoin seo caite. Tuairiscíodh i nuachtán áirithe go raibh a fhios agam roimhe sin, ach ní raibh. Maidin Déardaoin — an lá a fógraíodh an cinneadh — a dúradh liom go raibh na gcomhlachtaí le dhúnadh.

Mar is eol dúinn uilig, thosaigh an cúngú sna margaí creidmheasa sa dara leath de 2007. Ó shin i leith, tá titim leanúnach tromchúiseach ní amháin ar líon na morgáistí atá ar fáil sna margaí airgeadais sin ach, freisin, ar na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha a bhaineann le morgaistí agus iasachtaí infheistíochta go ginearálta. Bhí Contact 4 ag feidhmiú mar bhróicéirí idirmheánacha sa mhargadh sin in Albain agus sa Ghaeltacht. Ag tús na bliana, bhíothas ag súil go dtiocfadh biseach ar dhálaí an mhargaidh ach is amhlaidh gur in olcas atá cursaí ag dul. Ar an mbonn sin, dúirt an comhlacht nach raibh de rogha acu ach gnó na gcomhlachtaí seo a scor. Mar thoradh chinneadh an chomhlachta, tá a bpost caillte ag 108 duine sna hionaid Ghaeltachta, idir 79 duine ar bhonn lánaimseartha agus 29 eile ar bhonn páirtaimseartha. Ó thaobh briseadh síos réigiúnda de, is 34 phost atá i gceist i nGaoth Dobhair — 26 lánaimseartha agus ocht páirtaimseartha. Is 36 phost atá i gceist in Acaill — 26 lánaimseartha agus deich páirtaimseartha. Is 38 bpost ata i gceist sa Daingean — 27 lánaimseartha agus 11 páirtaimseartha. Tuigim ó Údarás na Gaeltachta go bhfuil deontais dar luach €3 milliúin íoctha leis an gcomhlacht. Mar is iondúil, tá muirear ag an Údarás ar shócmhainní na n-ionad Gaeltachta chomh maith le barántais phearsanta agus mháthairchomhlachta. Anuas air seo, beidh plé ar bun idir an t-Údarás agus an comhlacht i rith na míonna seo romhainn maidir le dliteanas a bhaineann leis an gcúnamh Stáit sin.

Níl aon dabht gur buille trom é seo don Ghaeltacht ach caithfear a aithint go raibh na hionaid atá á ndúnadh ag feidhmiú go héifeachtach agus gur cúinsí taobh amuigh de smacht an chomhlachta ba chúis leis an gcinneadh atá déanta. Tá sé cruthaithe ag Údarás na Gaeltachta gur féidir leis infheistíocht nua-aimseartha sna seirbhísí airgeadais — earnáil a ghineann go leor fostaíochta san eacnamaíocht náisiúnta agus domhanda — a mhealladh go dtí an Ghaeltacht. Beifear ag féachaint le tógáil ar an dúshraith scileanna atá forbartha san earnáil sin. Ba mhaith liom aird a tharraingt ar chúrsaí fostaíochta i bpáirc ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair, áit a bhfuil breis is 750 duine fostaithe i gcliaint-chuideachtaí de chuid Údarás na Gaeltachta i láthair na huaire. Is dea-scéal é seo nuair a chuimhníonn muid go raibh an figiúr seo tite faoi 450 sa bhliain 2003, tráth ar cailleadh líon mór postanna déantúsaíochta ansin. Tá go leor infheistíochta á dhéanamh sa bpáirc ghnó seo, mar shampla fhorbairt áisleann Ghaoth Dobhar le lárionad ilfheidhmeach cultúrtha, pobail agus áineasa, ar chostas €8.8 milliún; áis súgartha, caitheamh aimseartha agus scíth a fhorbairt don phobal; agus staideár féidearthachta maidir le pictiúrlann, srl.

Sa cheantar máguaird tá forbairtí tábhachtacha eile ar bun, mar shampla, leathnúchán ar ionad seirbhísí mara agus turasóireachta ag cé Machaire Rabhartaigh, ar costas €1.1 milliún; cultúrlann le 450 suíochán ag Ionad Chois Locha i nDún Luiche, ar costas €2.1 milliún; agus, mar a fógraíodh le déanaí, ionad fiontair agus pobail nua i Rann na Feirste, a bheidh ag fáil tacaíochta ón Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta agus ón údarás. Chomh maith leis sin, dar ndóigh, tá ionad fiontair togtha ag Westbic i mBaile na Móna, Cill Charthaigh, ar chostas €1 milliún. Go hachomair, tá an t-Údarás dóchasach gur féidir malairt deiseanna fostaíochta a chur ar fáil i gceantar Ghaoth Dobhair sa ghearr go meántéarma ag éirí as tograí atá á bpróiseáil tríd an bpíblíne infheistíochta faoi láthair. Beifear ag díriú aird ar leith i rith na míonna seo romhainn ar thograí nua a aimsiú do cheantair Acla agus an Daingean freisin. Féachfar chomh maith le tionscadail oiriúnacha a aimsiú do cheantar Chill Charthaigh, áit a raibh sé beartaithe ag Contact 4 glao-ionad eile a bhunú níos moille i mbliana.

Mar fhocal scoir, is féidir liom a gheallúint don Teach go mbeidh mo Roinn ag tacú leis an Údarás sna hiarrachtaí leanúnacha atá ar bun aige chun fostaíocht a ghiniúint agus a dhaingniú sa Ghaeltacht. Sa chomhthéacs sin, tá os cionn €40 milliún curtha ar fáil ag mo Roinn don Údarás dá chlár gníomhaíochta sa bhliain 2008. Ní mór a chur san áireamh freisin go mbíonn airgead breise — suas go €10 milliún — ar fáil don Údarás óna chlár díolacháin sócmhainní le cur leis an tsuim seo. Tá mé dóchasach ón gcomhoibriú iomlán idir mé féin agus mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire Fiontair, Trádála agus Fostaíochta, an Teachta Martin, agus go deimhin idir an t-Údarás, IDA Ireland agus Enterprise Ireland, go mbeidh rath ar na hiarrachtaí atá ar bun le déileáil leis na dúshláin chun a chinntiú go mbeidh deiseanna fostaíochta fiúntacha inmharthanachta ar fáil do phobal na Gaeltachta. Mar is eol don Teachta McGinley, tá mé ag obair le tamall fada ar cheist na postanna i bhForas na Gaeilge atá le lonnú i nGaoth Dobhair. Cúnamh mór a bheidh ann don cheantar sin. Is é sin an chineál post nach n-imeoidh choíche. Mar is eol don Teachta, tá ag éirí go maith leis na postanna a chruthaíodh ar an gCarraig, bunaithe ar obair an Acadamh Ríoga. Creidim gur cheart go bhfaighidh na ceantair tuaithe a gcuid fhéin d'fhostaíocht an Stáit. Bíonn tionchar nach beag ag fostaíocht den shórt sin ar ceantair tuaithe ar nós Gaoth Dobhair.

State Property.

Deputy Tom Sheahan

Killarney House is an historical building, part of a French-style house which was home to the Earl of Kenmare. It was owned by the late Mr. John McShain, one of the biggest developers in America who redesigned the White House and built the Pentagon, who died in Killarney in 1989 and whose wife died in 1998. They bought this estate in the 1950s and bit by bit, from 1970, started gifting it, including thousands of acres, to the Government. There are many historic parts to it as well, including the monastic island of Innisfallen, Ross Castle and two of the lakes of Killarney.

Later, for a nominal sum, they handed over thousands of acres of woodland and pasture while retaining life tenancy of Killarney House. The last 21 acres were given to the State just two years ago. Sr. McShain, the sole child of John and Mary McShain, stated recently that her parents would be heartbroken that the house they loved and restored is now neglected and to see the paint peeling off the walls.

I tabled this matter because to the people of Killarney and Kerry, and to visitors, Killarney House is the body of Killarney. This house is falling asunder. The McShain's were given a commitment by the Government that it would be restored to its former glory and accessible to tourists and the public. It is a disgrace. It is shameful that this beautiful structure which was donated to the State has been allowed to decay and fall into ruin, especially in times of such affluence and prosperity.

The Minister has stated that he is committed to restoring the house. Given those words, I must ask how much money he will put into it and what he will do with it. My colleague for south Kerry, Deputy Healy-Rae, announced last week that he has been given a commitment that money will be spent on Killarney House. Nobody knows how much. Nobody knows what work is to be done. There are valuables from the house in paid storage at a cost of €70,000 a year.

There is a commitment by the Minister to restore the House. I want to know what that commitment entails. How much money is involved? What will it do? Will there just be another few dehumidifiers put into the House to keep the rising damp at bay? People want to know.

It was intended that the parklands and the house would be enjoyed and appreciated by visitors and locals alike and not let run into a state of ruin. In recent times it has been occupied by squatters. This has been disregarded by the Minister but it is fact. I spoke with people in the town hall in Killarney who confirmed that there had been squatters. It is a disgrace.

I and the people of Killarney and the surrounding areas want this house to become a heritage centre that would incorporate all matters of a historical and cultural nature relating to Killarney and County Kerry, the ancient monasteries of Innisfallen, Aghadoe, Muckross Abbey and Ross Castle. It could be an interpretative centre. We do not want merely to stop the rising damp and replace a few slates on Killarney House. I ask that the firm commitment will be honoured by adequate funding after the costing has been done to provide this interpretative centre for Killarney. It is in the heart of Killarney and it would really add to the core of the town.

A National Parks and Wildlife Service plan was drawn up a number of years ago, a copy of which I have seen. Such a plan should be fully costed and there should be public consultation on this issue. It is well and good to think that we have experts from NPWS, with all due respects, and from the Minister's office who can decide for the people of Killarney and of the country how Killarney House could be best used on behalf of the State. Following public consultation, the Minister should set up a task force that will come to a consensus on how Killarney House can best be used. He must provide the funding, not just for a few more dehumidifiers, but to bring the house back to its former glory, as Mr. McShain wanted.

Deputy Máire Hoctor

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to discuss this important issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley. As the Deputy may know, Killarney House was discussed on the Adjournment in the Seanad last week. I would like to place on the record of this House the details provided to the Seanad by the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

Killarney House and the greater part of the accompanying estate was sold to the State in 1978 by the then owner, Mr. John McShain, for a sum below market value, on the assurance that the house and the estate would be incorporated into Killarney National Park. As part of the sale agreement, the McShains had the use of the house and the surrounding 52 acres for their lifetimes. Mr. McShain died in 1989 and Mrs. McShain lived in the house until her death in 1998, when the use of the house reverted to the State, some 20 years after the sale.

The house is now the responsibility of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which manages Killarney National Park. In the 2005-09 management plan for the park, the stated intention for Killarney House is to retain and preserve its integrity and character, both internally and externally, and to provide for visitor access to certain parts as appropriate, in particular the three main furnished reception rooms. Detailed specialist surveys commissioned by the Office of Public Works have made clear the need for significant infrastructural works, such as adequate plumbing, heating and electrical systems, before the house can be opened to the public. While Killarney House is, therefore, in need of repair before it can be opened as a fully functioning building to the general public, it is in a stable condition. It has been used for meetings of the national park liaison committee and for meetings between the Department and the trustees of Muckross House.

I assure the House that the Minister is committed to the development of Killarney House and the wider Killarney National Park, of which the house is an integral part. In the past five years, more than €5.5 million has been invested in the park, some €2.5 million of which was spent last year. A further €2 million will be invested this year. In addition, more than €1.4 million was spent in the past few years by the OPW on the provision of universal access at Muckross House, which, for the first time, gives those with a mobility impairment full and equal access to the house. Killarney House has also benefited from this investment. Following consultations with the OPW, essential works to avoid any deterioration to the fabric of the building have been funded by the Department. These works include the removal of plaster on the walls to prevent dampness, the provision of dehumidifiers in all the main rooms on the ground floor and other important trench and draining works. The golden gates and railings of the house have been restored, a security system has been installed and heating pipes and radiators have been upgraded. In 2007, the gate lodge at Killarney House was renovated for use as an assembly and information point for walking tours, at a cost of more than €250,000. The lawns and flowerbeds at the house are regularly maintained. Staff are employed to cut the lawns, trim hedges, plant and maintain flowerbeds, collect litter and carry out small maintenance jobs. I emphasise that contrary to recent media reports, there are no squatters at Killarney House.

I assure Deputies that the Minister is committed to ensuring that Killarney House fulfils its potential. To that end, he has asked his Department to work closely with all the appropriate State agencies to explore funding options. It will liaise with the Office of Public Works, in particular, to decide on a phased work programme for the house.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.15 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 March 2008.