Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 November 2011
241 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his policy, if any, with regard to the public access to heritage sites when no agreement on the acquisition of access rights is possible with the relevant landowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32366/11]
View answerI refer the Deputy to the reply by the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to Question No. 77 of 20 October 2011 in relation to public access at national monument sites. My Department's general policy is to acquire rights of access from private landowners to monuments or heritage properties in State care or otherwise, which my Department considers important due to their intrinsic architectural or archaeological heritage value, where such access is not currently available and where it is practicable to enter into suitable arrangements with the landowners concerned. Given the current economic climate, my Department only considers such acquisitions on behalf of the State in exceptional circumstances. The designation or proposed designation of Natural Heritage Areas, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas or refuges for flora and fauna does not confer any additional rights of access for the general public to such sites. Many of these sites are largely or completely within private ownership and the designation or proposed designation does not affect the application of general legal provisions regarding public access to privately owned land.
