National Parks

15. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will consider the acquisition of lands adjoining the Phoenix Park to facilitate the establishment of a Liffey Valley regional park. [74681/26]

68. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update on the Liffey Valley Park strategy. [74682/26]

I ask the Minister to consider the acquisition of lands adjoining the Phoenix Park to facilitate the establishment of a Liffey Valley park. I am committed to the vision of a Liffey Valley park that was outlined 20 years ago in the Liffey Valley park strategy and somewhat in the 1987 establishment of the special amenity area order for the Liffey Valley. I am asking for further acquisition of lands by the State in the public interest to develop the vision for a Liffey Valley park.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 68 together. The Liffey Valley park strategy was published in 2006. It proposed a necklace of amenities along mainly public land by the River Liffey. These lands will provide recreational opportunities for the public and help to protect and conserve the biodiversity and the amenity value of the Liffey Valley corridor. This vision in the strategy for the outdoor recreational infrastructure would contribute to a healthy, active lifestyle. It would also support the heritage, economic and tourism potential of the area for the local communities and tourists and visitors. Fingal County Council, Kildare County Council, Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council are the local authorities partners with the leading roles in delivering this strategy. Lands at St. Catherine's Park, Lucan were acquired by the OPW in 2006 with the view to forming a core of a Liffey Valley park. Responsibility for those lands at St. Catherine's Park and for the implementation of the wider Liffey Valley park passed to the local authorities. Lucan House and the demesne were bought into public ownership by South Dublin County Council in 2024 for use as a public amenity. The OPW continued to support the strategy. In 2024, the OPW purchased Donaghcumper House and the 18.6 acres of land adjacent to Castletown House. In 2025, an additional 235 acres and access road from the N4 into Castletown were acquired by the OPW. In relation to the future of the strategy, I can confirm that I convened a meeting on 30 July to discuss the strategy, which was attended by representatives of the OPW and the four local authorities. Progress to date by each of the local authorities and the OPW towards the objectives in the 2006 strategy document was discussed, and a further meeting is due to take place in early 2027. Acquisition of additional lands locally for the creation of a new regional park would be, in the first instance, a matter for the local authorities. They generally plan, design, fund, and develop the regional parks as part of their county development plans, local area plans, and associated green infrastructure network.

I thank the Minister of State for re-establishing that group and for meeting me about it earlier this year and for acting on his commitments. The Liffey Valley is an unrivalled green corridor in Dublin. It is an ecological and biodiversity treasure. As the Minister of State said, it has massive potential for recreation, well-being and amenity value. As per the special amenity area order, it is recognised as being one of the few areas of outstanding natural beauty in the country. However, it is a bit of a no-man's-land because the public do not have access to vast sections of it. I know how important it was to get access to St. Catherine's Park back in the 1990s because my father was involved in it. I really welcome the new acquisitions in recent years. There are opportunities closer to my constituency in Dublin West and that of the Minister, Deputy Chambers. I want to make sure that we are looking at that potential and those possibilities that will add to the Liffey Valley park vision. These opportunities should be taken before it is too late.

I thank the Deputy and the Minister, Deputy Chambers, for their activity in relation to these areas. I convened the meeting with the four local authorities in charge and asked them to come forward with their plans. We will meet early in the new year. As I said, the local authorities lead on this. I would like them to come back in. I was excited by the work that was done in the past and what they are doing now but they are excited to keep this project going and delivering more amenities. I will work with them, with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and with the Deputy. To be fair to the Government, what has been done and what we have achieved with the land we have bought is impressive. We faced challenges to get all those lands and put a plan in place. If you take the core of this area right into Phoenix Park and across to Castletown House, a huge amount of money has been spent to provide a large number of amenities. The Deputy has requested we look at more lands and more amenities. I would like the local authorities to lead on this and we will work with them to develop plans going forward.

I acknowledge the Minister of State's hard work on acquiring lands around Castletown House. There has also been the acquisition of Lucan House over the years. In some cases, the pathway has not been smooth and there have been missed opportunities over the years. That is what I am saying that we need to be looking at those strategically positioned acres of land that are available now and which would give people more access to the Liffey Valley. The 1987 order stated that the council would look in detail at the need to secure public control over some of the lands, with a view to the development of Liffey Valley Park and access to the riverbank. We do not want again to be in a position whereby we are missing those opportunities. We need to protect, preserve and secure the future of the Liffey Valley. Dublin is expanding, as it should, with development and housing and we need to ensure we have the amenities and biodiversity there to support it.

I hear everything the Deputy is saying. I would point to the meeting we convened recently. There is a need for every local authority, and there are four involved in this case, to look at their town and county development plans. It is in the interests of local councillors to zone the land and acquire a right to protect such amenities and areas for future plans or parks, going forward. Listening to the local authorities, they have all that in mind. The Deputy is rightly highlighting the issue. We have lost land in the past. However, I ask her to let the local authorities lead on their plans, going forward. Where the Government can offer support, we will, but let us work together.