Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 28 Feb 2024

Vol. 1050 No. 4

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Heritage Sites

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me the privilege of raising this matter again. At the risk of boring the House, the people of Kildare North and those outside the constituency, I seek to bring attention to this issue because it needs to be addressed.

The local people who have protested at the way the Office of Public Works, OPW, has handled Castletown House have been constantly blamed and accosted regarding their responsibility for bringing this impasse about. This was not done by the local people; it was done by the OPW, which decided, in September last, to widen the gates to facilitate extra traffic. It used angle grinders to do that but it did not have permission do so and there was no permission for the access route in question.

The constant refrain is that the OPW is doing this because the previous access route, which had been in operation for ten years via the M4 through the car park and Castletown House, was no longer available as the arrangement with the previous landowner was no longer in vogue. The situation then should have been that it would have no access, other than the route that was closed down. The proof is that it had to have that access for a period of more than ten years. While that temporary access was negotiated, it was in place because the OPW recognised it had no alternative access.

Unfortunately, it went down the wrong road and created an obstacle for itself. It has undermined its own case. It is still possible to negotiate with the new landlord of the adjoining property to share the access from the M4. The OPW and the State have put a lot of money and investment into Castletown House, and rightly so. Last night, I was at a well-attended meeting on this issue in Celbridge. The people in attendance had nothing but the best in mind for Castletown House. They see it as the contribution to heritage in their area and local people have enjoyed this amenity until now.

I am glad to see the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, who is from Kildare, in the House to reply to this Topical Issue, which is about Kildare. It is a sensitive issue but I will bring it up for as long as it takes. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will know, the people whom she, I and the Minister of State represent expect us to do this for them. This is particularly the case given the situation in which we find ourselves now. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and ask him to address the issng those lines.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Martin Heydon)

I offer this response on behalf of the Minister, who is unable to attend this morning. I thank Deputy Durkan for his ongoing interest in Castletown House. As a fellow Kildare man, I know of the huge emotion and upset there is around developments in the area around Castletown House and estate. In recent months, Deputy Durkan has made continuous representations through parliamentary questions, Topical Issues and Oireachtas committees with regard to Castletown House and estate. He, along with other elected representatives of Kildare North, are members of the Castletown House and estate stakeholders working group, which was established in October 2023 to try to progress the reuniting of the historic demesne and access issues at Castletown House and estate. The group includes representatives of the community and all the local political representatives in the area.

It is important to restate the current situation. In September 2022, the OPW sought to purchase the lands adjacent to Castletown House and estate in a private sale. These lands have been in private ownership since the estate was sold by the Connolly family. As has been made clear, the OPW made a bid for these lands in excess of the market price, but was outbid by a private individual. In September 2023, the private owner of these lands withdrew permission for OPW staff, its servants or its agents to enter his private lands.

While I understand that the private landowner has continued to allow members of the local community to use his lands as a car park, he does not extend this permission to the Office of Public Works. The issues around vehicular access to Castletown House and estate would be resolved with immediate effect if the private landowner granted permission to the OPW to cross his land. When the State took ownership of Castletown House and estate, the only vehicular access was the Celbridge Gate and Lime Avenue. This was the case from 1994 to 2006. In 2006, the previous landowner granted a licence to the OPW to operate a car park and access road through the private lands on an annual basis. However, the current landowner was not open to agreeing to a licence agreement on a similar basis or a basis where a significantly higher licence fee was paid.

At the request of different stakeholders, the OPW has examined other access points to Castletown farmyard. These were through the public road in the Woodview estate; through a privately owned and maintained road at the Batty Langley gate and on to the historical pedestrian pathway of the Dublin drive, which is not designed for the weight of vehicles; and through the Celbridge Gate on Lime Avenue. It is clearly understood that the use of all these routes is unacceptable to different parts of the community. However, if no routes are acceptable, the outcome is that the OPW staff cannot return to conserve and protect Castletown House and estate. Lime Avenue has always been the vehicular access point to Castletown House and estate since the house was built. The roadway is designed for vehicular traffic.

To be clear, and for the avoidance of all doubt, it has been stated many times on the record of the House that the OPW is not seeking to bring significant volumes of traffic through the Celbridge Gate on Lime Avenue. The OPW envisages Lime Avenue operating as a pedestrian priority road, in line with current practice across numerous OPW sites, such as in St. Stephen's Green and Farmleigh. The OPW has made written commitments that the volume of traffic would be approximately 20 vehicles per day for OPW staff and essential contractors. People with a disability would be facilitated with access as required.

At this time, Castletown House and estate will not be offering car parking for visitors to Castletown House. The practical implementation of this new reality and ensuring this does not have negative impacts on the local community within Celbridge is a key area of discussion of the working group.

The small number of vehicles would not impact on the current congestion within Celbridge. In fact, the work by the working group and the OPW may help to reduce congestion in the longer term by changing travel patterns.

Since 2006, the State has spent approximately €25 million investing in Castletown House and estate. Castletown House and estate is the most visited site in Kildare, which is critical to the local tourist economy.

I have more detail which I will provide in my supplementary response.

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan

I realise the Minister of State had a difficult job to deliver because several people have previously delivered or failed to deliver on that, as the case may be. I cannot but comment on the fact that the emphasis is put on how little impact the extra traffic will have when, in fact, the OPW knows it has plans to extend and expand - and rightly so - the use of Castletown House as a national and international centre and protect what is known as the Castletown collection. All of that is strongly supported by the local people. None of it would be affected by simply trying to arrange a shared route with the adjoining landowner. I do not think the adjoining landowner, coming on stream as he did, has the right to stop the State from going to and from its own property, a preserved and protected mansion, in Celbridge. I do not accept that the OPW's intentions are as it says. Its intentions at the time were to widen the gates and cut the railings using an angle grinder in order that it could show that it had an alternative access route. There is no space in the traffic patterns in Celbridge for any extra traffic, not even for ten extra cars, until measures are taken to alleviate the traffic. Worst of all, no effort is being made to engage. That has to happen and, ultimately, it will happen.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and addressing this issue. I think it has been raised here 16 or 17 times by me alone, and other colleagues in Kildare North have raised as well. The issue has to be addressed. When will it be addressed? There is a recognition by the OPW that there is another way, which is the way we have set out again and again. We will continue to pursue these options until out objective is in sight.

Deputy Martin Heydon

I thank Deputy Durkan for raising these pertinent points which are hugely important to the constituents he represents in Kildare North.

He and I agree that growing the numbers of visitors to Castletown House and estate is in everyone’s interest. It is a fantastic facility. We want more people to enjoy it and learn about it. The move to active travel for visitors will result in more people taking public transport. That will bring them into the heart of Celbridge village and provide an opportunity for local businesses to attract more trade. In addition, as part of the wider Government policy to encourage active travel, it will result in more people walking and cycling to Castletown House, which leads to more opportunities to attract people to local businesses where car parking is not a constraint. It is agreed there is a challenge to operate a tourism site focused on public transport and active travel but this is one that the OPW and working group can work on to overcome together.

The statement provided includes details on concerns around management, a biodiversity audit of the estate carried out in 2022 and the need for OPW staff and officials to be able to access the site to carry out important maintenance work. Bird nesting season is about to begin and there are dogs off the leash, which is something there have been numerous complaints about.

The core issue is that the current protest does not extend to Kildare County Council or Irish Water, which are allowed unimpeded access. The action is firmly to prevent the staff of OPW from accessing their workplace by vehicle. OPW staff have not had vehicular access to their workplace since September of last year.

A number of suggestions have been made. Deputy Durkan and others have suggested that the ultimate solution is for the State to acquire the lands. The Deputy has requested that the OPW explore multiple routes to restore access to these privately owned lands. The OPW remains committed to acquiring additional lands that form part of the original estate, where they become available, to reunite the historic domain. However, that cannot be at any price because we have to protect the best interest of taxpayers’ money as well.

As a Kildare man, I hope we see a resolution to this important problem. I again thank Deputy Durkan for continuing to highlight this important issue for Kildare.

Road Projects

Deputy Sean Sherlock

I raise the issue of the abysmal allocation made by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in respect of progressing the Mallow northern relief road scheme when the allocations for 2024 were announced recently. The allocation made for the Mallow relief road, as we call it, was €300,000. This is a paltry figure given that the project is progressing rapidly. A preferred route has been selected and I contend that the project is further along than most others elsewhere in the country. I want to see an additional allocation made so that we can progress this project to planning stage.

If the Minister of State tells us the €300,000 allocation has been made to progress the project to design and environmental evaluation stage, we will accept that €300,000. We are looking for what I will describe as the equivalent of two RTÉ exit packages. If we had two times €450,000, the impact would be such that the project would be able to go to planning. The impact of that in ameliorating traffic flows and improving people's quality of life would be absolutely immense.

I anticipate the Minister of State will tell us there were constraints this year. As I understand it, more than €400 million in Exchequer funding has been allocated for projects of this nature. All we are asking for is an in-year additional allocation of approximately €900,000, on the basis that the preferred route has already been selected. We are not at stage zero but beyond it. The preferred route has been chosen and the €300,000 allocation will get us to design and environmental evaluation stage. However, the equivalent of two RTÉ exit packages would get us to planning stage. If we can get to planning stage on this project, the benefits, given where Mallow is located between Cork and Limerick, would be immense and would provide great relief in fulfilling Government policy. Stated Government policy is about reinvesting in towns and town centres, freeing up traffic, having people move back to and living in town centres again, and providing the relief to congestion that is vital to towns like Mallow.

I appreciate that the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, is not here and I appreciate that this matter is being taken on his behalf. I do not fully expect the Minister of State to be across the details because this does not fall under his line Department and the response has been provided to him by the Minister for Transport. I fully accept that. There is a roster for Ministers of State taking what we call Topical Issues. However, I make the case that of the more than €400 million that has been allocated, all we want – I will repeat it for the third time – is the equivalent of two RTÉ exit packages. If we take Breda O’Keeffe’s exit package of €450,000 and double it, that would get us to planning. In relative terms, the impact of such an allocation would bring untold benefits.

Deputy Martin Heydon

I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising this important issue on national secondary routes and, in particular, the Mallow relief road. As he outlined, I am giving this response on behalf of the Minister for Transport, who is unable to be here.

The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding with regard to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the NDP.

The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030 as part of the NDP. This funding will enable improved regional accessibility across the country as well as compact growth, which are key national strategic outcomes. The funding will provide for the development of numerous national road projects, including the completion of projects which are already at construction stage and those close to it, as well as the development of a number of others.

As the greater proportion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this has meant that there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2024. However, approximately €412 million of Exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2024.

Having regard to the funding constraint outlined, it was not possible to provide an allocation to all national road projects in the NDP for 2024. However, the majority of projects did receive funding, including the Mallow relief road project which has received an allocation of €300,000. A preferred route for the scheme has been selected and it will now progress through the design and environmental evaluation phases. As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the Mallow relief road project will be kept under review in future years and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII.

With regard to the national secondary road network more generally, there are a number of projects referenced in the NDP, including the Listowel bypass, which is under construction, and the Moycullen bypass, which has been completed. The 2024 allocations also provide targeted interventions on a number of roads, such as the N86 between Tralee and Dingle and the N59 between Maam Cross and Oughterard. Many national secondary roads are “lifeline routes”, which are the only acceptable route available in remote areas. As such, it is vital to keep them in a safe and robust condition.

I also have experience of the need for a relief road, a distributor road, for the town of Athy. We waited for it for 40 years and when it was officially opened by the Taoiseach on 31 October last year we saw first-hand the massive benefits. The benefits extend beyond taking traffic off the main street of a town and include pedestrian routes and cycleways as well as connectivity to the train station that was never envisaged for certain estates in the town. There has also been a modal shift in Athy as 18- and 19-years-old, who would always have felt they needed a car, have come to realise they can now cycle to the train station in five minutes, which is much more accessible. The town's main street has also been enhanced. The next element will be to invest heavily in the main street, including in widening footpaths. The retail experience in the centre of town is key. A road is not just about cars; it is much broader than that, so I get why the people of Mallow want a relief road. With €5.1 billion earmarked to deliver these projects under the NDP, there is a determination across government to see the positive benefits we see in Athy being delivered to towns such as Mallow. I look forward to seeing that happen.

Deputy Sean Sherlock

I note the Minister of State’s comparison between Athy and Mallow. They are very similar towns. I note the benefits accruing to the people of Fermoy now as a result of the recent allocation. The reason I know about Athy is that my colleague, Senator Mark Wall, has been a strong advocate for it, as the Minister of State knows. His father, Jack Wall, probably got the project put on the agenda of the NDP in the first instance. If we are talking about projects of that nature, if the Minister of State and his Government see the benefits of a relief road to Athy, hopefully they will translate that philosophy to the town of Mallow.

I wish the people of Listowel, Moycullen, Tralee, Maam Cross, Oughterard and all of these places the very best of luck. I note these projects are on what are deemed to be "lifeline routes". I have never heard that expression before in my life. I suggest that if we are going to ameliorate traffic flows through the town of Mallow, much of which is HGV traffic, then we will need to progress this project.

If we consider that one person in RTÉ can get an exit package of €450,000, if that figure was doubled, it would be small money in terms of the €5 billion the Minister of State spoke about or the €400 million that has been allocated for this year. I continue to make the case that the same logic applied to Athy be applied to Mallow. These key towns that service big populations and people in them need to see their towns flourishing again and free of the congestion that has plagued them for so many years.

Deputy Martin Heydon

Again, I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising this important point. I completely understand the need and desire to see progress in this area. Unfortunately, if we are to continue the analogy with Athy, we were a long time waiting as it is a slow process that is exceedingly frustrating for everybody who is impacted. Public representatives have to stick with it and continue to highlight the issues to get projects through each of the phases that can cause delays along the line.

In line with the NDP and Government policy, the Minister for Transport has allocated national road funding for 2024 in a manner which seeks to achieve the following key outcomes: protection and renewal of the existing national road network; progressing major projects in or near construction; progressing major projects which are pre-construction but well advanced in the development pipeline; and prioritising any remaining funds for major projects which provide for local bypasses and compact growth in Ireland’s towns and villages.

The programme for Government commits to continued investment in new roads infrastructure to ensure that all parts of Ireland are connected to each other. In support of this, during the period between 2020 and 2024, approximately €366 million in Exchequer capital funding was allocated for the national road network in County Cork, which Deputy Sherlock represents. This has resulted in many improvements to the network, as demonstrated by the Dunkettle interchange project, which was recently opened. National secondary roads have also benefited from this investment and we look forward to seeing more investment in these roads and projects such as the Mallow relief road being progressed in the near future.

Water Services

Deputy John McGuinness

I raise this issue not just because of the importance of the water supply to Clogh and Moneenroe in County Kilkenny but also because of the many decades that have passed since this problem first arose. I fully appreciate that there is a manganese issue with the water supply and that works to upgrade the system are ongoing. However, this issue dates back decades. The county council at the time, when it was responsible for the provision of water services, knew about this. Efforts were made with the Department at that time. Following my election in 1997, I continued to raise this issue time and again. Following a recent inquiry dated 12 February, a person from Irish Water informed me that I was told the same thing last August. An immediate plan is needed.

Boil water notices are regularly issued to the communities of Clogh and Moneenroe. They are fed up and sick to the teeth of what they are experiencing. They turn on the water, flush the loo or have a shower and they never know when the water will turn to brown treacle-like liquid. It is absolutely disgusting and it is wrong in this day and age that people are expected to just suck it up and are being told the issue is being dealt with and Irish Water will get back to them.

I ask that the Department insist on Irish Water fast-tracking the short-term solution it seems to have and then move quickly to the long-term solution. Irish Water has told me that the short-term solution will take possibly four years and the medium-term solution will take between five and seven years. Is it not time Irish Water looked at whatever technology is available today, increased funding for the provision of proper, drinkable water to Clogh and Moneenroe and front-loaded the investment to get the job done? This has gone on for far too long and the people in the area are upset, although they tolerate this to a degree.

I cannot understand, however, how Irish Water can continue to introduce boil water notices and not deal quickly with the problems it has. A new source is needed and has been identified. It is not acceptable for the planning stages to go on for so long in terms of the immediate problem and the medium-term solution Irish Water has. I ask the Minister of State to get Irish Water to apply itself to this issue and examine it in detail. It has been looking at the issue for many years. Why is the problem still going on? Why does Irish Water not take immediate action to deal with the problem? Surely this issue is not unique to Clogh and Moneenroe. Surely this type of problem has arisen with water supplies elsewhere and Irish Water can learn from that. If a new water source is needed, it should have been provided years ago.

I get letters from people on this issue. Bottles of the water have been sent to my office. I know what the water looks like. I have been in houses where I have seen it. A person cannot drink it. There are particles in the water. I know Irish Water flushes out the system from time to time, which can also cause a problem. It is not good enough in this day and age, with so much money being invested by Irish Water, that this local community has been left on the long finger. Enough is enough. I am asking the Minister of State to bring forward a longer-term solution in order that this community can, at least, be assured it will have a continuation of quality water supply.

Deputy Martin Heydon

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I can imagine how frustrating this process has been for the people of Clogh and Moneenroe, as well as for the Deputy, as a public representative for the area. Obviously, the Minister is unable to be here and I am offering this response in his place. As the Deputy will understand, the supply of public water and the provision of water services in general are matters for Uisce Éireann in the first instance, as Deputy McGuinness outlined. However, officials in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage have made inquiries with Uisce Éireann on the issues raised and I am informed as follows. Uisce Éireann operates the Clogh-Castlecomer public water supply in County Kilkenny, which serves approximately 3,300 customers. There have been ongoing issues with this supply for a number of years, compounded by several factors, including an old system, a poor water source and elevated manganese levels, all of which the Deputy has accepted. The latter occurs naturally in some water sources and some exceedances can arise from naturally occurring high levels at source.

Following consultation with the HSE, Uisce Éireann issued a boil water notice at this supply on 27 February 2023, one year ago, due to increased turbidity impacting the treatment processes at the water treatment plant. At all times, Uisce Éireann’s number one priority is the protection of public health. Extensive works were carried out at the plant to ensure the boil water notice could be lifted. This was made challenging due to several problems experienced when raw water levels dropped due to high usage and there was a reduction in the amount of available raw water. The boil water notice at the Clogh-Castlecomer public water supply was lifted on 1 July 2023 following the completion of remedial measures and the receipt of satisfactory monitoring results.

Uisce Éireann is working hard to make further progress and intends to continue its investment in this water supply scheme. Since the boil water notice was lifted, a number of improvement works have been completed at the plant, including a thorough cleaning and flushing of the pipework within the plant, ongoing flushing of the water network, the introduction of a new filtration system for treatment in the plant and changes to the filter media and the water treatment process in the plant. In addition to these measures, Uisce Éireann intends to carry out further short-term actions, including the replacement and upgrade of the filter media and cleaning of the river adjacent to the filtration gallery.

In the medium term, Uisce Éireann is progressing a project to make further improvements to the treatment plant within the next one to four years as an interim measure prior to the delivery of a long-term solution. A contractor has been appointed to design and construct works at the existing treatment plant. In the longer term, Uisce Éireann acknowledges the limitations of the existing water treatment plant infrastructure and is pursuing a permanent solution to address the issue. A major new project is required to resolve the historic and ongoing challenges on the scheme with regard to water quantity and quality. This project is being progressed with the completion of a preliminary report for a new water source and a new treatment plant. This is currently being reviewed. It is expected to take a number of years to progress through the relevant statutory and regulatory processes, which include engineering, hydrological, planning, environmental and procurement.

I understand this response will not satisfy the Deputy in terms of the timelines that he and the people of Clogh and Moneenroe, County Kilkenny are seeking but I will bring back to the Minister the points he has raised and continue to keep the pressure on for a speedy resolution to the issue and a speedy delivery of the medium to longer term solution that is needed.

Deputy John McGuinness

With respect, that is the same reply I received in 2023 and on several previous occasions prior to that. It is the same as the reply issued on 12 February this year. Will the Minister of State tell Irish Water that 3,300 customers are receiving water that is not just of poor quality; it is not usable? It is disgusting. I have received samples of the water in recent months to show me how bad it is. Will he ask Irish Water to prioritise and fast-track the scheme it is discussing such that it delivers a scheme that will solve the problem not just for now, but for the foreseeable future? That is the least that should be delivered for the people who live in that local community.

The Minister of State read the reply he was given. I have received that reply previously. It is frustrating that we have been receiving similar replies for ten years or more but there is no real delivery on the ground. There are constant complaints. It is a recurring problem. Irish Water knows what the issue is and where the new source should be, yet it is talking about planning for four to seven years or longer and so on. That cannot be accepted. I urge the Minister of State to go back to the Minister and tell him I am not raising this matter for the fun of it, or for publicity, as politicians are sometimes accused of doing. I am raising this issue to ensure delivery of a water system that is absolutely necessary for the local community. The system in place is not fit for purpose. Tinkering with the system and delaying it in terms of planning will not satisfy people. They deserve better. I am asking the Minister of State to, please, bring that message back to the Minister and insist on Uisce Éireann expediting the project to the point of delivery.

Deputy Martin Heydon

I accept Deputy McGuinness's bona fides on this issue and I am a firm believer in the parliamentary process. Notwithstanding that the response I am delivering today is similar to one he received previously, the squeaky wheel does get the oil. If the Deputy, as a Member of this House, continues to raise a matter here, that does have an impact. It is heard by Ministers, officials and the semi-State bodies on which we depend. I will bring back his points to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I will ask him to put pressure on Uisce Éireann to prioritise Clogh and Moneenroe for a speedy delivery of the medium to long-term solutions outlined by the Deputy and referred to in my response, which are needed as quickly as possible.

The Government is delivering a sustainable funding path to further enhance the ongoing significant improvements in public water and wastewater services. Sustained investment through a number of investment cycles is required to address existing infrastructural deficits, ensure compliance with EU directives, accommodate population growth and build resilience in the face of climate change. To this end, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has secured record overall funding of €1.81 billion for delivery of water services in 2024 alone. This funding will support improved water supplies throughout Ireland, including rural Ireland, and a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in rivers, lakes and marine areas. The continued investment in water generally and Uisce Éireann in particular, as the national publicly owned stand-alone regulated utility, will ensure the continued operation, repair and upgrading of Ireland's water and wastewater infrastructure. I again thank the Deputy for raising this important issue.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar fionraí ar 9.50 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 9.58 a.m.

Sitting suspended at 9.50 a.m. and resumed at 9.58 a.m.