asked the Minister for the Environment if publicly-owned corporation property at the Bull Wall, Dublin has been, or is being, made available to a Golf Club for the private use of its members thus excluding this amenity to ordinary citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Bull Island (Dublin) Property.
115.
It is presumed that the Deputy is referring to the Bull Island. I understand from the corporation that the position in relation to the use of lands on the island as golf courses is as follows.
St. Anne's Golf Club had a lease of land on the Bull Island from the Vernon Estate since the 1920s. At that time the corporation did not own any part of the island. The Vernon Estate subsequently sold the island to the Royal Dublin Golf Club and St. Anne's Golf Club became lessees of Royal Dublin. In 1954 Dublin Corporation bought the island, exclusive of the Royal Dublin links, from the Royal Dublin Club and consequently became the landlords of St. Anne's Golf Club. In the 1960's the corporation decided to build the causeway road to the island in order to facilitate public access especially by car and bus to the island and to the three-and-a-half mile strand. In order to build this access road to the beach it was necessary to ask St. Anne's Golf Club to surrender portion of their course. St. Anne's facilitated the corporation's plans and after negotiations agreed to surrender the lands required for the road access and roundabout in return for an equivalent area of playable land. This agreement was put into effect then and the club were granted a new lease by the corporation for a term of 99 years from 23 January 1971.
In relation to the matter of a fence being built by St. Anne's Golf Club on the eastern boundary of their course, it is understood that a meeting is being held this week between officers of the club and officials of the corporation to discuss the matter.