Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2015
282. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to access the site at Durrow Church in County Offaly; if plans are in place for a car park and walkway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24766/15]
View answerThe Durrow Abbey site is an important National Monument which is owned by the State and is in the care of the Office of Public Works (OPW). A significant conservation project was undertaken there in recent years, including relocating the vulnerable High Cross on the site into the Church and undertaking visitor presentation works. The site is therefore in good order currently from a preservation aspect.
As the Deputy is aware, although there is free access to the site, which is open to the public daily, there are difficulties in actively marketing the venue and encouraging larger numbers of visitors to the property because of safety issues relating to the nearby N52 road. It has not been feasible to mitigate this problem without incurring significant capital costs, and, in the current financial situation, the level of capital investment required is not available. This position has been confirmed recently following a reappraisal of the project options after further direct engagement with the National Roads Authority.
Understanding that road access is highly problematic, the OPW is currently working with other public partners locally (Offaly Co. Council and Coillte) to develop an alternative walking route which will link the National Monument property with the existing Coillte amenity forest trails nearby. The Coillte estate is served by a carpark on its property and the objective will be that visitors will therefore, once work is completed, be in a position to park locally and walk safely to the Durrow attraction. It would be the intention of the OPW to complete this work next year.
Given the importance of the Durrow site, it remains a priority for both the OPW and Offaly Co. Council to develop an economic solution to the access problem which will ensure that the visitor potential of the site is more fully realised. In the short term, the proposed footpath will provide visitors with a safe route into the site and this objective will remain the focus in the immediate term.
