Vol. 530 No. 1
132 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the funding she is making available from her Department for the completion of works on Portumna Castle, County Galway; the works to be undertaken at this location in 2001; the plans she has for the completion of restoration of the castle; and the estimated final costs of this complete restoration. [3305/01]
As the Deputy may already be aware, the question of fully restoring Portumna Castle was considered by the consultants engaged by my Department to prepare the draft management plan for the Portumna Estate. The consultants recommended conservation of the castle itself rather than its full restoration. The reasons for this are to avoid conjecture in any such restoration; the need to study; preserve and present the fabric that does survive; and the possibility offered by the building in its current state of creating a unique experience not to be found elsewhere in Ireland. The complete restoration of Portumna Castle does not therefore arise.
