Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
368. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on proposed developments at the Oldbridge site since the welcome announcement of up to €10 million in shared island funding to develop the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15330/24]
View answerThe OPW welcomes the announcement of €10m of funding from Shared Island for the enhancement of the visitor attraction at the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre and Oldbridge Estate. The 500-acre Estate was acquired in 2000 in order to preserve and present the unique history of the Battle of the Boyne, and the visitor centre located in Oldbridge House opened in 2008. The parklands currently attract over 400,000 visitors per year.
The deputy may find my response to PQ 1758/24 useful, as this outlines in some detail the vision for Oldbridge Estate.
The OPW's plan for the Estate has three elements, which it is hoped can progress in parallel.
The first element is a refurbishment of Oldbridge House, to restore and open the upper floors in compliance with disability access and fire regulations. It is envisaged that the fully restored house will serve both as a heritage experience and will also have the flexibility to serve as a location for Government business.
The second element is the Farmyard Complex, located between the battlefield and the River Boyne, which is in need of restoration works, and is not currently open to visitors. The OPW plans to develop a full project to refurbish and conserve the Farmyard which will transform how we tell the story of the Battle of the Boyne through new visitor experience elements on site.
The final element of the project is ancillary visitor facilities, such as car and bicycle parking, lighting, signage and other exterior enhancements.
Enabling works to the Farmyard complex are nearing completion. These works include the relocation of the gardening works depot to another location on site as well as the examination, categorisation and relocation of the architectural salvage within the yard. A contract for preliminary archaeological investigations in the form of a ground penetrating radar survey has been signed and will take place in the coming weeks. At the same time a definitive project brief is being developed and it is anticipated that an integrated design team will be appointed to the project in the coming months.
The renovation will be a major capital project and a full programme of works is not yet available. However, it is expected that this will be a multi-annual process leading to a landmark change for the Estate. The OPW looks forward to delivering a fully reimagined offering at the Battle of the Boyne that builds on the successes and learnings from the last sixteen years of visitor operations.
