Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 27 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 3

Written Answers. - Lucan Demesne.

Liam Lawlor

Ceist:

359 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will report on the progress by South Dublin, Fingal and Kildare County Councils in utilising the grant allocation of £3.75 million for the development of Lucan Demesne/St. Catherine's lands, County Dublin as a major passive park amenity in the Liffey Valley in view of the conditions set which required the earliest opening up of parkland to the public; if any section of the land is yet open to public access; if indicative dates have been given to her in this regard; and if she will provide assurances that her Department is closely moni toring the utilisation of the significant Exchequer funding set aside for the project. [5980/01]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera):

As the Deputy is aware Lucan Demesne was acquired by my Department in 1996 with the objective of establishing a Liffey Valley Park, to be owned and managed on a co-operative basis by the three local authorities concerned on the basis of an agreed management plan. In addition my Department has secured funding for the park amounting to £3.75 million over a five year period.

Revised contract documents for the transfer of the land have recently been sent to Fingal County Council and Kildare County Council and it is hoped that these can be completed in the near future. The legal formalities in respect of South Dublin County Council have already been completed. Once the legal transfer of the land has been completed it will be possible to commence implementation of the management plan with the aim of opening the park to the public as soon as possible. The role of my Department will then be to disburse funds, allocated by the Department of Finance, on foot of projects carried out in accordance with the agreed management plan.

I understand that there is public access to the portion of the demesne which is under the control of South Dublin County Council. As for the remainder of the demesne, no indicative dates have been given to me in this regard pending completion of the legal formalities. The question of the opening of the park is primarily a matter for the three local authorities concerned.