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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - National Parks.

Austin Currie

Ceist:

622 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands her plans for the development of the Lucan Demesne, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26607/01]

Austin Currie

Ceist:

638 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will support the creation of a Liffey Valley national park; if so, the way in which the park will be financed and managed; the timescale involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26603/01]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 622 and 638 together.

As the Deputy will be 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. The Lucan Demesne is a regional park and does not warrant designation as a national park.

As I have advised previously on several occasions the position remains that only one of the three local authorities involved, South Dublin County Council, has completed the legal formalities in this case. Neither Fingal County Council nor Kildare County Council has yet completed the transfer documents. In addition, my Department has secured funding for the park for a five year period. Once the legal transfer of the land has been completed it will be possible to commence implementation of the management plan. 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.

Since acquiring the property in August 1996 both my Department and the Chief State Solicitor's office have done everything in their power to ensure that the transfer of the property is completed as expeditiously as possible. While my Department has been given to understand that Fingal Council and Kildare County Council are now agreeable to completing the legal formalities, it is a matter in the final analysis for both authorities to deliver in this regard and honour the commitments entered into by them in 1996.

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