16 May 2006

Transport

Carrickmines Castle

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport the information he has received to date from the National Roads Authority or Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council regarding the potential for the location of an archaeological heritage park at the Carrickmines Castle site in south Dublin; and the potential suitability of the retention of the eighteenth century farmhouse at that site for use as an interpretative centre or as part of an archaeological heritage facility.

Minister for Transport (Mr. Cullen): On 16th September 2002, my predecessor at the Department of Transport issued instructions to the NRA to carry out a number of alterations to its plans so as to preserve as much of the original site at Carrickmines as possible. Any preservation or display initiatives subsequent to the construction phase would fall to the relevant road authority, in this case Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council.

I understand from the National Roads Authority (NRA) that the directions in respect of the archaeological works at Carrickmines issued during 2004 by my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, set out a requirement for the preparation of a Conservation Plan relating to the preservation of certain features and structures at Carrickmines.

The preparation of this conservation plan is a matter for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council who are required to submit their proposed plan to the National Monuments Section of the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government.