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THE PRIVATE OWNERS of land on the Castletown House estate, in Celbridge, Co. Kildare, have limited public access to the historic site by permanently closing access from the M4 motorway entrance.
While visits to the state-owned site – which makes up 225 acres of the estate – will still be permitted, the Office of Public Works (OPW) notified the local community last week that, from 16 September, car access to the estate will be via the Celbridge Avenue entrance only.
The decision comes as locals believe that the privately owned 235 acre site, which the state failed to secure after being outbid by a private developer earlier this year, will be developed in inappropriate ways for the historic site.
The road closure will permanently cut off road access to the privately-owned 235 acres of the estate.
This decision has angered many from the local community and has received backlash from two local TDs, as residents blocked the road this morning believing the owners intended to renovate the site immediately.
This morning all gates to @castletownOPW are blocked by due to the plans to bulldoze gates, and close M4 access, and destroy a large tract of parkland in public use for decades.#SaveCastletown
— am blaney, (@anne_blaney) September 11, 2023
Please sign the petition.@KildareCoCo @CathMurphyTD @ivanabacik @comm pic.twitter.com/VFRaLiYS4Q
The estate was built in 1722 for Speaker of the Irish House of Commons William Connolly. Since 1965, ownership of the estate was divided between the state and private owners until earlier this year.
According to the OPW, 235 acres of lands around Castletown House were sold on the open market this year.
“The OPW subsequently entered negotiations with the new owners regarding the terms of a licence which, since 2007, has ensured access to Castletown House and Parklands from the M4 motorway,” the letter told residents.
“Unfortunately, it was not possible to agree reasonable and feasible terms for access,” it added.
Castletown House and Parklands Update
— Cllr Aidan Farrelly (@Aidan_Farrelly_) September 8, 2023
This really is such a disappointment- public access will be maintained but it seems very much reduced now. With no agreement between the new owner and the OPW to facilitate access from M4 - the OPW are trying to secure access Celbridge gate. pic.twitter.com/iVCDajF8Vq
Local Social Democrats councillor Aidan Farrelly said that the failure of the state to secure their bid was a “real, real error”. Farrelly believes that the developers plan to build housing in the area.
Farrelly told The Journal that the local community were reliant on using the site for various amenities, which he says have been dwindling with the increase in private residential units being placed in the town in recent months.
The Clane-Maynooth councillor said that public land being bought by private developers for housing is leading to “reduced infrastructure” in Celbridge – the opposite of what the community was promised when developments began in the area.
The OPW said that it will work with Kildare County Council and An Garda Síochána to ensure that visitors have access to the site, including the provision of on-site parking facilities at the publicly owned portion of the estate.
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy shared her displeasure with the decision to close the access, labelling the closure of “awful news“.
The Kildare North TD said on Twitter that she had “no doubt” there would be public backlash to the decision to close the access to the public space in Celbridge.
Fianna Fáil TD James Lawless said on Facebook over the weekend that he was “very disappointed and frustrated to learn of the latest developments at Castletown”.
“I have raised this latest twist with the relevant Ministers again and [I] am prepared to work with all concerned to reach a permanent, acceptable solution for the people of Celbridge and the users of Castletown,” Lawless added.
“This is and was and should be a public space,” Farrelly said.
Locals have since started a petition to stop permission being granted to develop the site in Celbridge, which as over 10,000 signatures at the time of publication.
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I don’t blame them. I had problems getting and HB1ac last week due to the first strike. But I would not blame these guys. And don’t start the FF/FG nonsense. This is the HSE. And nothing BUT the HSE. Governments come and go. But the permanent government in the HSE is to blame for decades of bad management. No party can fix this alone. There needs to be a route and branch and heads need to roll. That will require cross party support and a stomach in the public. These fat cats won’t go quietly.
@Dave Connolly: and who appoints the top positions in HSE??
@Dave Connolly: Wrong Dave. The HSE can’t just decide who gets paid what. They are forced to negotiate with one hand behind their back as, although it doesn’t attend pay negotiations, the sanction of the Department of Finance is required before ANY public service pay deal can be signed off.
@Dave Connolly: finally someone talking sense !
Although it affected me today had a procedure done was to do bloods after so specialist gets results for appointment next weekt. But fully support them so back in again on friday for bloods .
Just do the right thing. The day is coming when you (the government) will need these people who work tirelessly for all of us.
Just pay them the money. The cost of all the strikes and faffing about will be more than the rise in the long run. It’s not like they haven’t been flagging this for 20yrs.
Completely agree. Their work is essential and having upgraded their qualifications it’s short-sighted not to offer them opportunities to improve their salary without changing jobs. They’re familiar with the health system and have put in the years. I can’t see any reason to stall any longer – it’s a reasonable request.
Well good for them. They deserve it and are one group who went above and beyond during the pandemic and never got a mention.
@Mary Conneely: Well said Mary fair play to ya!
Fight for your rights, otherwise you will be trampled upon.
The HSE is a dysfunctional organisation, riddled with Managers appointed through the Peter Principle and kept in their roles by clinging and enabling bullies. This strike should never have happened, preempted resolution was the obvious answer should it have been accepted but now the ordinary people suffer again through deferred appointments.
@Terry Larkin: But your bus driver does not control the spread of viruses, bacteria and fungi all over the world,not to mention antibiotic resistance which is another calamity heading your way!!
Wage disparity happens in all work places. But fairs fair. And they should be paid accordingly.
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