Vol. 508 No. 5
114 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason signs have been erected at Kells Priory, Kells, County Kilkenny, prohibiting the public from entering certain parts of the site; when the proposed works will commence on the site; when work, if necessary, will be undertaken to make the site safe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19355/99]
Signs have been erected at Kells Priory to keep members of the public away from certain areas because of dangerous masonry. The proposed works, which involve conservation of the walls will also have the effect of remedying the dangerous masonry. These works had been scheduled to commence this autumn but have been delayed as a result of difficulties in recruiting skilled staff. My Department is actively pursuing the recruitment of the necessary staff and the conservation work will commence as soon as the necessary recruitment has taken place.
115 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if her Department has recently examined the pedestrian walk and car park at the dolmen site, Brownshill, Carlow; if so, the work which will be undertaken to upgrade this site; and when the work will be undertaken. [19356/99]
The pedestrian walk and car park at Brownshill dolmen, County Carlow, have been recently upgraded and a new sign has been ordered. Officials from Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department are in discussion with the local authority about the acquisition of a wider path and a possible information point. Any further work will be dependent on the outcome of those discussions.
116 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the plans, if any, she has for the restoration of Donadea Castle at Donadea Forest Park, County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19443/99]
Donadea Castle is not in State ownership and consequently Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department has no plans for its restoration.
The castle is a recorded monument, thus affording it protection under section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1994. This requires the owner or occupier to give two months' written notice to my Department of any proposals to carry out works at the site.
117 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the position at Geraldine Castle at Maynooth, County Kildare; the expenditure to date; the total expenditure required; the progress of work to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19444/99]
A provision of £1 million has been made in my Department's Estimates for the project, of which 75 per cent is to be funded from the European Union's Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99. To date £91,000 has been expended.
The first phase of the project is a stand-alone scheme which involves development of the ground floor vaulted areas for exhibition purposes together with access to the first floor and provision of small scale guide and visitor facilities.
Detailed design for this work is nearing completion. This design is also being informed by the results of the current archaeological excavation programme which commenced on site on 20 September 1999. Advertisements were recently placed in the newspapers seeking suitably qualified building contractors who would be interested in tendering for the work. It is now expected that building work will commence within the next few months and be completed before the end of the year 2000.
