Statements

On 4th June 2024, the Save Castletown Committee submitted an observation to An Bord Pleánla related to the applicant's appeal of the planning decision. This document was funded by the Community, and so once again we are pleased to present the resulting work back to our valued contributors. We're sure you will agree this is a robust document, which draws on significant input from our voluntary committee.

Thank you for your support, and thank you to everyone who helped raise funds for this important work for Castletown.

Link to PDF here

OPW STATEMENT ON CASTLETOWN

The Office of Public Works (OPW) acknowledges the ongoing concerns and challenges surrounding access to Castletown House and Estate. We are committed to resolving these issues in a manner that respects the interests of our staff, the local community and at the same time, fulfilling our responsibility to preserve and maintain this important heritage site.

Recent developments through the Working Group highlight the complexities involved in finding a balanced solution that addresses the needs of all stakeholders.

Save Castletown issued a proposal on February 14, which would, among other things, allow OPW staff vehicles access through Lime Avenue. The OPW welcomed this progress, as getting staff back on site remains paramount in safeguarding and maintaining Castletown House and Estate.

In light of this development, on February 16 an OPW statement was issued calling this proposal an ‘agreement’. The OPW now recognises this was premature as the proposal had not been adequately discussed with the local community.

Through recent communication with local community groups, we recognise the importance of addressing some specific concerns.

• We have retracted the Press Release dated February 16, 2024, as well as any associated language or assumptions. As this statement makes clear, we wish to ensure coherence, accuracy and alignment with the agreed terms of reference.

• We can confirm efforts to retract the Liffey Champion article, also dated February 16, are in progress.

• We are committed to issuing this statement as an apology on gov.ie, accompanied by this sincere expression of regret and a commitment to rebuilding trust with the community.

• We will listen to the concerns of all local groups, including the Gate Protector Group.

• We understand the importance of clear and transparent communication in this process. However, we also recognise that misunderstandings and disagreements have arisen, leading to a breakdown in communication. We are sorry for any confusion or frustration caused by our previous statements and remain committed to finding a resolution through constructive dialogue and collaboration.

Moving forward, we will continue to engage with all stakeholders, including Save Castletown, in a transparent and respectful manner. We remain hopeful that through continued cooperation and mutual understanding, we can find a sustainable solution that preserves the heritage of Castletown House and Estate while addressing the concerns of the local community.

The OPW welcomes the opportunity to discuss with Save Castletown their proposal dated February 14 with a view of coming to a solution that works for all parties. The OPW appreciate the patience and cooperation of all parties involved as we work towards a resolution.

The Save Castletown Committee today lodged a submission regarding the application for retention/planning for Gay's Avenue/Castletown carpark (Planning Ref 2417). We are so grateful for all the help we received to gather our research, and all of the financial support enabling us to engage professional expertise. We are pleased to present this information back to the community. It was lodged 20th February 2024 in person at Kildare County Council offices.

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Document 1

Document 2

Document 3

Click here to view original document

To: Working Group Stakeholders By email 14th February 2024

Re: Proposal regarding Safety, Communications & OPW Staff Vehicles

A Chara,

Having listened carefully to the views of our Community and those of Castletown in recent months, and despite our deepening frustrations at the conduct of OPW throughout the current crisis, the Save Castletown Committee would like to present a new proposal to the working group. The Gate Protector Group remain part of the wider Save Castletown movement. However, they have defined themselves, for the purposes of this Working Group, under a separate vote. Accordingly, their view of this proposal would be a separate matter. Our position is informed by our Community Survey with over 800 responses, which was narrowly in favour of a controlled concession for OPW Staff Cars.

Context

We were initially informed SIPTU’s position was that a risk of intimidation was their sole concern, specifically the presence of campaigners and campaign signage at the gates, and elements of public discourse which were objectionable to OPW. On Wednesday 15th November 2023, a proposal was made to OPW and to the Minister, which had near unanimous Community group support including that of the Gate Protector Group and the moderators of key social media platforms. This proposal addressed all the concerns that had been raised by SIPTU and thus was an ideal solution to the impasse. However, in response, a new blocking point was introduced by OPW to the Community – that OPW Staff did not want to attend work for fear of harm or assault while walking on Lime Avenue. The risk of harm, per OPW risk assessment, is mitigated by their own return to work and so is a moot point in that respect. Assault was a new suggestion.

We find the introduction of new rationale for insisting on OPW Staff Vehicles on Lime Avenue a further cause for mistrust, as it is so convenient to the narrative from OPW that the only way to get staff back on site is in their cars via Lime Avenue.

Very real fears for public safety have not been allayed by the publication of OPW’s Risk Assessments in December 2023. This is because, coupled with OPW obstinacy about the access route and method, the documents appear to be written retrospectively, and contrived such that most risks require OPW Staff vehicles to use Lime Avenue if they are to be mitigated. We reiterate that OPW staff have not been prevented by the Gate Protector Group from attending work, the only issue is their vehicles, they have always been able to use active travel to attend their place of work, just as the incredible skeleton staff have been doing all this time.

There is no mention of the public being at risk, no control measure, and no further action required on the public’s behalf in Hazard 6 of Assessment No. 6 rev 02 – “Risk of staff being assaulted while walking on a dark avenue to access the workplace”. This implies that either the OPW risk assessment is inaccurate, or that somehow the only pedestrian cohort at risk of assault on Lime Avenue when it is dark are OPW Staff. We would ask that OPW consider the implications of both scenarios, and how they are perceived by the Community.

Minimum Requirements

We firstly draw your attention to the number of times we have experienced a lack of clarity on the situation regarding minimum needs for OPW staff access.

• In the original protocol of 13th October 2023 proposed by OPW, access “before 10am” and egress “between 3pm and 5pm” for a total of circa 20 OPW Staff vehicles per day. Without any further context, we interpret this could mean up to 5 hours where there are risks associated with the co-location of pedestrians and vehicles. The Save Castletown Committee were the only Community Group not to endorse this protocol.

• In an email on 23rd October 2023, we learned that one staff group arrives in time for an 8am start, leaving at 4pm, while another staff group arrives in time for 9.30am and leaves at 5.30pm.

• On 10th November 2023, OPW advised that “some [staff] begin work at 7.30am and others do not finish until after 5pm”

• At the Working Group Meeting of 18th December, OPW cited a need for vehicular access “until 9.30am”, which does not fully correspond with the original (failed) protocol of the 13th October 2023.

Throughout these discussions, there have been varying figures presented as to what numbers of staff vehicles are required during different seasonal situations, how many staff require their cars as opposed to those who already use active travel etc. In an email from OPW dated 18th January 2024, we finally learned the precise detail, summarised as follows:

• Year-round staff vehicles: 13 vehicles, 8am-4.30pm (3pm on Fridays)

• Seasonal (March to October) staff vehicles: 4 vehicles, 9.30am – 6pm

• Other vehicles: max 3 per day (OPW occasional staff / OPW contractors)

PROPOSAL

What is different about this proposal is the establishment of safety before a new situation on staff cars can be possible. So, it takes a phased approach, with each phase to be complete before progressing to the next.

PHASE 1: Safety

Public Safety

A formal, independent review of and comprehensive public information campaign about pedestrian safety at Castletown (and particularly Lime Avenue) to be undertaken by OPW, urgently and in advance of any changes to the protocol. This Health and Safety Review to be published to the Community and feedback sought, particularly from vulnerable cohorts. Clear signage that Lime Avenue is not open to vehicles from the general public must be installed.

Only if an independent review of Health and Safety returns an acceptable assessment, and community response has been demonstrably positive, can we move to Phase 2. H&S vendor/provider to be selected cooperatively by Working Group stakeholders. People need to be informed what “pedestrian priority” means in practice, and what their options are if they encounter a vehicle on Lime Avenue.

PHASE 2: Statements & Signage

OPW Statement

OPW to make a clear and unambiguous written public statement, including on social media, that Lime Avenue will not be used for general public vehicular access.

Signage

OPW to erect attractive, permanent signage at the Celbridge Gate to reflect that Lime Avenue will not be used for general public vehicular access. (see also, “Demesne Opening Hours” for a note re signage)

PHASE 3: Staff Access, School Runs & Services

Having considered the various written and verbal statements on timings for staff cars and noting that the highest sensitivity times for pedestrian use of Lime Avenue is during the weekday school runs, SCC would support a certain pattern of access and egress, only when additional safety actions and communications in Phases 1 and 2 are complete and feedback from the Working Group is supportive.

School Runs – Exclusively Pedestrian

SCC continues to hear of safety concerns from members of the public, and fears have been raised repeatedly from parents about the safety of children on Lime Avenue.

We estimate the 8am-9am hour would be the start of day school run timeframe, whereby children and parents would use Lime Avenue or enter the estate at other points, to walk or cycle to school.

There are various schools in the area, the closing times for schools differ on different days. However, the end of day school run window would be approximately 2.45pm-4.30pm.

OPW Staff Access & Egress

From discussions with OPW, and using information from the OPW email of 18th January 2024, it is apparent that with the absolute minimum of inconvenience to OPW, some access and egress windows could be defined such that, on a temporary basis only and reviewed every 3 months, OPW staff who cannot or will not use active travel alternatives could use their private vehicles to get to their dedicated staff parking spaces at the House using a 30-minute window for each shift start and end time. If all stakeholders were to agree, particularly the Gate Protector Group, this would operate on the basis of a maximum of 17 permanent staff vehicles per day in March to October, and 13 permanent staff vehicles per day November to February.

• Access 7.30am-8am and again between 9am-9.30am (i.e. preserving the start of day school run hour as exclusively pedestrian)

• Egress between 4.30pm – 5pm and again between 6pm - 6.30pm (i.e. preserving the end of day school run hour as exclusively pedestrian)

• Friday egress: cars leaving at 3pm to travel in convoy at the end of the working day.

So, four 30-minute windows during which staff could arrive in time for work and leave at their finish times. Staff to travel in convoy wherever possible but certainly at the Friday exit time, and in any event, aided by the traffic management team (i.e. escorted at walking pace) as is the case for 3rd Party Service vehicles today. For the avoidance of doubt, all vehicles using Lime Avenue need to be escorted at walking pace.

Access and egress needs outside of these times would arise, according to OPW, but we understand this would be both unplanned and infrequent (OPW staff’s occasional needs and OPW staff contractors). Additional occasional staff and contractors would also need vehicular access. We propose that all such ad hoc access and egress needs be facilitated via the Batty Langley entrance. This is to maintain a manageable solution at the gates and to minimise unexpected vehicular use on Lime Avenue.

Table 1

3rd Party Service Vehicles

We propose minor changes to the current arrangements for 3rd Party Service Vehicles:

1. 3rd Party Essential Services are not scheduled during the school run times defined above, and as such could experience delays during this exclusively pedestrian time.

2. Castletown Foundation representatives have explicit access as an essential service to Castletown and to the collection.

Demesne Opening Hours

Demesne opening time to be restored to conventional hours within 2 weeks of recommencement of staff on-site. Kissing gate to remain open 24/7 thereafter. Signage to the contrary should be removed and notices placed on social media etc. to announce the return to normal hours.

Review

A review of the operation of this proposal would take place as a recurring item at every 4th Working Group Meeting (approximately every three months).

Benefits to the Community

If OPW and other Community Groups including the Gate Protector Group were to find a way to temporarily enable staff vehicles to use Lime Avenue under this proposal, the following benefits would accrue to the Community:

1. Safety concerns fully assessed by an independent 3rd party, and the report/outcomes published

2. Demesne Opening Hours would be restored to normal opening times (per Risk Assessment No. 6 Rev 02, Hazard 6)

3. Clarity about no general public vehicular access on Lime Avenue would finally be made available in writing, directly to the public, and highlighted in clear public signage.

4. School-run hours would be defined explicitly as pedestrian only, with a possible exception on Friday afternoons, where staff vehicle egress is tightly controlled.

5. Build-up of leaves, trees or tree limbs at risk, and presence of ice on Lime Avenue and around Castletown Demesne would be managed (Risk Assessment No. 6 Rev 02, Hazards 2, 3)

6. A public information campaign about pedestrian priority / “exclusively pedestrian” time and what that means for safety in practice for all users of Lime Avenue would be launched and maintained until the target audience is satisfied.

7. General necessary conservation work and maintenance could recommence at a normal pace, there would be no further risk to the preservation of the invaluable collection at Castletown House, the OPW’s Museum Status etc. and the Demesne grounds would have the expertise that is needed.

8. The Castletown Foundation, who own much of the collection at Castletown House and have a vital advisory role to the OPW, would be able to access the House to discharge their duties to Castletown and by extension, to the public.

Our survey statistics make it very clear that there is significant support both for and against OPW staff vehicles using Lime Avenue, with only a marginal amount in favour of a mutually agreed arrangement. We are making this a careful, narrow and temporary proposal for that reason. This proposal must be treated with fair consideration for each stakeholder position.

Save Castletown Committee’s primary concern is to assert the public interest, find potential points of compromise, and work towards solutions. If all Community Groups, including the Gate Protectors group, endorse this proposal and OPW do not, we would strongly recommend the appointment of an independent public crisis manager.

Our Position

The Save Castletown Committee’s position regarding Lime Avenue is fundamentally unchanged – we do not want vehicles on Lime Avenue.

Narrow modifications to this stance, such as the 3rd Party Service Vehicles protocol currently in operation and the proposal outlined above, are offered as temporary in nature and can only be in effect while OPW continues its efforts to secure proper, permanent vehicular access and parking for the public, and for OPW staff and services via the M4 or an alternative entrance.

SCC does not and will not support general public vehicular access on Lime Avenue and would urge OPW to reflect on this fact and start to communicate their long term plans when approaching solutions for Castletown.

Is mise le meas,

Vinnie Sig

Fintan Monaghan, Chair

Copy to: OPW, Working Group Chairman, Friends of Castletown, Castletown Residents Association, Celbridge Community Council, Gate Protector Group, Minister Patrick O’Donovan, Castletown Foundation, Elected Representatives. Notice: This document will be shared publicly on our website, savecastletown.ie .

Table 2

Sonya Kavanagh,
Chief Executive,
Kildare County Council,
Devoy Park, Naas,
Co. Kildare
W91X77F

21st December 2023

Re: Leixlip M4 Right of Way

A Chara,

I am writing to you on behalf of Save Castletown.

As you will be aware Save Castletown is one of a number of community groups which has been established following the acquisition of 235 acres of land immediately adjacent to Castletown House in March 2023 by a private landowner.

Our mission is to restore access and parking via the M4 motorway, reunite the Demesne, and protect the green belt and we represent communities across Celbridge, Leixlip, Maynooth and beyond.

The depth of community feeling on the issue of the loss of access from the M4 motorway, concern to ensure that people can continue to access Castletown House and grounds and desire to see the demesne reunited and protected from development is illustrated by over 22,300 signatures to our petition. This issue has also been raised in the Dail and separately with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste.

Impasse

We understand from the Working Group meeting held on 18 December last that the Office of Public Works (OPW) has confirmed that negotiations with the private landowner to purchase the 235 acres of land have not progressed, but that they will endeavour to remain active on the subject. It also appears that any other discussions between the OPW and the private landowner in relation to allowing the public to access Castletown House and grounds from the M4 and to use the existing car park have not been successful to date. The OPW has also confirmed that it does not have the power to compulsorily acquire the 235 acres.

This has severely impacted the ability of people to access Castletown House and grounds. This has been the case since 12th September 2023. Additionally, there have been attempts to limit the access which the public has traditionally had to walk parts of the 235 acres. The scale of the issues is borne out by the visitor numbers to Castletown grounds which are set out below:

Table here

The current impasse cannot continue.

Rights of Way

There is a right of way in place from the M4 exit to near Castletown House. This is broadly delineated on the enclosed map (appendix 1). Save Castletown is currently surveying the local community to gather information regarding use of this right of way and will submit further information to Kildare County Council in due course. It is also apparent that there has been public access and use of this right of way for several hundred years and we enclose some aerial images to illustrate this point (appendix 2).

We are aware of other access routes over the 235 acres and will write separately on this issue.

Save Castletown is calling on Kildare County Council to protect the public right of way in accordance with its statutory duty to do so and its obligations under the County Development Plan. Please refer to details previously set out in our correspondence of 4th December 2023. We thank Kildare County Council for its support to date in ensuring continued access via this route, and in particular, keeping the gate open. Save Castletown opposes the closing of this gate as it is necessary to ensure continued access on this route. This is essential for the public in particular anyone who may be unable to walk into the grounds due to mobility issues.

Public Road

As you will be aware the first 200 metres of the road from the M4 to Castletown House (as marked on the attached map) is a public road. Can Kildare County Council consider designating the remainder of the road as a public road to ensure continued public access?

Acquisition of the 235 Acres

As set out above despite all the space given to allow the negotiations to take place, no meaningful progress has been made on this issue since the lands were purchased in March 2023. Kildare County Council has a key role to play here and should now confirm to the public what its position is in relation to acquisition whether by agreement or by using its powers to compulsorily acquire the 235 acres. The OPW does not appear to have the power to compulsorily purchase the land.

In moving to acquire the land Kildare County Council would secure the reunification of the demesne and could also ensure safe access for the public and others to Castletown House. This is a fantastic opportunity for the matter to be resolved for the benefit of all involved. Save Castletown notes that Kildare County Council has previously been in discussions with the OPW and the NTA in relation to this land and the provision of enhanced car parking facilities. Given the events of the last 9 months, Save Castletown is now formally calling on Kildare County Council to commence the process to compulsorily acquire the 235 acres.

We look forward to hearing from you in relation to the above.

Is mise le meas,

Vinnie Sig

Fintan Monaghan, Save Castletown Committee

Copy to: Office of Public Works

Appendix 1

Land Ownership - Castletown House & Gardens - Celbridge

Appendix Map

Appendix 2

Aerial Imagery depicting the Right of Way

Aerial Imagery

Sonya Kavanagh,
Chief Executive,
Kildare County Council,
Devoy Park, Naas,
Co. Kildare W91X77F

4th December 2023

Re: Requesting Presentation to KCC regarding Right of Way at Castletown, Celbridge, Co. Kildare

A Chara,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Save Castletown Committee.

As you will be aware, Save Castletown is a community movement which formed following the acquisition of 235 acres of land immediately adjacent to Castletown House in March 2023 by a private landowner. Our mission is to restore access and parking via the M4 motorway, reunite the Demesne, and protect the green belt and we represent communities across Celbridge, Leixlip, Maynooth and beyond.

Public Access to Castletown House & Demesne

You will be aware that one of our key areas of focus is to ensure community access to Castletown House and Demesne. It is a vital amenity in North Kildare for wellbeing and recreation. This is evident from the visitor numbers to the demesne which according to OPW documentation (enclosed) were as follows over recent years:

Table 1

It is also evident from the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023 – 2027 (enclosed) that recreational walking is the most popular form of physical activity with 74% of the population walking regularly in 2021. The Strategy reflects some of the challenges faced by our community in accessing outdoor recreation, particularly those within our community who have differing abilities.

The significance of Castletown House and Demesne to the local communities is well known to Kildare County Council and was illustrated well in the survey conducted by the Council in September 2020 relation to the preparation of an Open Space and Outdoor Recreation Strategy. In this survey Castletown House and grounds were listed by participants as the second most popular outdoor amenity in County Kildare. It was also evident from the work done by the Council to prepare this Strategy that “accessibility is a significant issue when entering, using and enjoying public open space for people of differing age and physical abilities”.

While the Office of Public Works has responsibility for management of Castletown House and the grounds in State ownership, Kildare County Council also has a crucial role to play in ensuring that the public can access this national heritage site and also to ensure the protection of the woodlands, heritage and biodiversity in the lands now in private ownership. This is reflected in the County Development Plan 2023 – 2029 and the stated policy of Kildare County Council to:

“Protect and maintain the existing recreation infrastructure in County Kildare and support the diversification of the rural economy through the development of the recreational potential of the countryside in accordance with the forthcoming National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, subject to all relevant and cumulative environmental assessments and planning conditions.”

We note also Objective LR039 in the CDP to “Promote and enhance public access for all to the upland areas, rivers, lakes and other natural amenities of County Kildare, in conjunction with the relevant landowners and agencies, while protecting environmental sensitivities, ecological corridors and built heritage.”

Objective AH024 is to “Safeguard the amenities of Castletown House including the main avenue, Donaghcumper, St Wolstans and the River Liffey environs as shown on Map V1 - 11.14. - Safeguard the amenities of The Wonderful Barn including the adjacent buildings.

Objective AH025 is to “protect the integrity of the designed landscape at Castletown Demesne including the pathways, avenues…”

The stated policy of Kildare County Council is to “Preserve and protect the historic gardens and designed landscapes identified in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage Survey of Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes.”

You will be aware of the significant concerns which the community has in relation to potential damage and destruction to the historic front gates of Castletown House and to Lime Avenue in the event of all road traffic which was going via the M4 entrance being diverted here. Numbers of cars visiting were estimated by the OPW as being approximately 250,000 per annum.

Rights of Way

We are writing to you in relation to one of the rights of way into and across the Castletown Demesne. However, we also recognise that there are many other historical access points into and across the demesne and therefore would like to make clear that on this occasion we are solely corresponding in respect of one of these rights of way and without prejudice to any other rights of way or access rights in respect of the demesne including customary rights.

Kildare County Council has statutory duties and obligations in relation to the protection and upholding of public rights of way. This is recognised in the Kildare County Development Plan 2023 – 2029 as follows:

“13.6.5 Public Rights of Way Public Rights of Way (PROW) have existed over the centuries and now constitute an important recreational amenity. They enable the enjoyment of high-quality landscape, natural and archaeological heritage and provide links to valuable amenities such as rivers, lakes, bogs, forests and places of natural beauty. A PROW is a physically defined route over which the public have a right of passage even if the route is not in public ownership. It’s an unrestricted right of the general public to pass and repass at all times of the day or night and at all seasons without notice to, or permission from the landowner. The most common characteristic of a PROW is that it follows a defined route which may be sub-divided amongst different branches. Existing public rights of way constitute an important amenity and the Council recognises the importance of maintaining established rights of way and supporting initiatives for establishing walking routes and general accessibility.”

Kildare County Council has the following objectives under the County Development Plan:

LR069

Preserve, protect, promote and improve for the common good, existing rights of way which contribute to general amenity, particularly those which provide access to archaeological sites and National Monuments and amenities, including upland areas and water corridors, and to create new ones or extend existing ones where appropriate either by agreement with landowners or through the use of compulsory powers, without adversely affecting landscape conservation interests, subject to AA screening and where applicable, Stage 2 AA so as to ensure and protect the favourable status of European sites and their hydrological connections. Such developments will have regard for protected species and provide mitigation where applicable.

LR072

Protect, enhance and improve existing public rights of way and where possible, provide additional access to inland waterways through agreement, permissive access and/or the acquisition of land for public rights of way and parking and lay-by facilities.

LR073

Seek to identify, list and map public rights of way in County Kildare that gives access to riverbanks, canal banks or other places of natural beauty or recreational value over the lifetime of this Plan and to provide for the preservation of such public rights of way.

Celbridge Gate - Batty Langley Right of Way

We enclose a map showing this right of way for ease of reference. It is evident from previous correspondence, maps and documentation including testimony regarding the history of use of this route, that this is a public right of way.

We are aware that Kildare County Council may deliberate the issue of the right of way running from the Celbridge Gate to Batty Langley Gate at the Full Council meeting on 18th December, following review by the Corporate Policy Group. We have an interest in any consequent decisions and would like to be heard by Kildare County Council on this matter.

While we are not aware of which documents have been submitted to and/or are being considered by Kildare County Council, we have been made aware of a document produced by the Office of Public Works which is published on or around 10th November 2023. This document disputes the existence of a public right of way as set out above. There is a fundamental divergence between the views of much of the local community (represented by Save Castletown) and the Office of Public Works on this issue. Save Castletown would like the opportunity to submit information and documentation, including significant new evidence, which supports its view that such a public right of way does exist. This information and documentation can then be taken into account by Kildare County Council along with all other documents which it is considering as part of this issue. We are continuing to compile this information and documentation to submit to Kildare County Council and would request that no decision is made on an issue of such public significance until we have been able to do so. This is particularly important to Save Castletown as we understand that once the decision on the existence of the public right of way is made, it cannot be revisited by Kildare County Council for six months. However, if we have misunderstood the position, please let us know.

MAP of Castletown ROW

Conclusion

We would like to meet with Kildare County Council officials and the Corporate Policy Group to discuss the above and to obtain clarification regarding the process for deciding on the existence of a public right of way as well as the documents which are being relied on to make this decision. If we are in a position to submit the information and documentation referred to above in advance of this, we will do so but we may need to submit them after the meeting.

In any event we look forward to hearing from you.

Is mise le meas,

Vinnie Sig

Fintan Monaghan,
Save Castletown Committee

Copy to: Office of Public Works

Click here to read the letter to Kilross Properties.

Wheelchair Users

Save Castletown Preparatory Questions: Working Group 24/11/2023

Save Castletown Campaign has given careful thought to the issue of staff traffic on Lime Avenue.

However, there is currently a significant dearth of information to make fully informed considerations. Numerous questions have been asked within the Community and we have compiled this document seeking clarity on these questions.

For ease, we have grouped the questions under themes which we hope will assist OPW in understanding the current context of the Community’s reservations and requirement for enhanced information.

Save Castletown Campaign view the issue of vehicles on Lime Avenue in the following context:

1) Lime Avenue is listed under the ‘Protected Structures’ in ‘Built and Cultural Heritage’ chapter of Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029. We note that Ms Rosemary Collier made a submission on May 23rd 2022 towards the drafting of this Plan, wherein she endorsed on behalf of the OPW, the inclusion of the objective: ‘to safeguard the amenities of Castletown House including the Main Avenue. Donaghcumper, St Wolstan's and the River Liffey environs’.

2) OPW’s own assessment report in September 2022 titled "Purchase of land adjoining Castletown house -Business case” states that the Celbridge gate entrance ”would not be appropriate now given the volumes of vehicles in question, the unique built features present at the gate, it's limited capacity for two-way vehicle movements, and the likely strong opposition of residence to having that volume of additional traffic flowing onto the main street in Celbridge ".

3) Lime Avenue has long been pedestrianised and The Community values this beyond measure. The Avenue carries a large volume of daily footfall and is used also by children travelling to and from school, at the times that staff cars are proposed to drive on the same narrow pathway.

4) Lime Avenue is a safe entrance and walking route used by other vulnerable members of the General Public to enjoy the Demesne including wheelchair users, parents with buggies, people with visual and hearing challenges and the Elderly Community.

The following questions stem from the above context.

Taking risk into account

1) Has an independent traffic risk assessment been conducted regarding the use of Lime Avenue by both vehicles and pedestrians? If so, will OPW make this assessment and report available to the Working Group within the next week?

2) Do OPW intend to declare ‘Pedestrian Priority’ on Lime Avenue? If so, how do OPW propose this will work in practice, if an in or outbound vehicle encounters a person who is walking on the Avenue?

3) How do OPW plan to safeguard vulnerable members of the General Public including wheelchair users, those with mobility, sight or hearing challenges, our elderly community and parents with small children and buggies?

4) Have Traffic Management Staff been provided with written Policies and Procedures regarding their duties in safe traffic management ? If so, will OPW make a copy of this available to the Working Group within the next week?

5) The Famine Gates and pillars at the front of Lime Avenue entrance are exposed to damage due to incoming and outbound essential traffic, including large trucks. What measures have been put in place to protect these structures? How will this be enforced?

6) Given that the entrance from the M4 car park towards the House is now sealed off with concrete pillars and locked gate, what measures are in place for dealing with the obvious delays that will incur in emergency service accessing grounds in a timely and prompt manner?

7) Given that the M4 entrance is blocked off from the car park onwards, what measures are in place in the case of a vehicular break-down?

8) Scientific evidence concludes that exposure to traffic has major consequences for bat populations. Will OPW explain what measures they are currently taking and plan to take in relation to their obligations to adhere to both Irish and EU laws in the conservation of all bat species?

OPW Plans for managing traffic at Castletown House and Demesne

Essential traffic is currently temporarily enabled through the Celbridge Village gates to support OPW in finding alternative solutions which are congruent with Lime Avenue remaining pedestrianised.

1) Does the OPW maintain that the Celbridge Village gate is to remain the main vehicular entrance for Castletown Estate?

2) Are there any plans to alter the entrance to Lime Avenue, or alter Lime Avenue in any way? If so, can OPW provide details?

3) What timeframe is OPW proposing to maintain essential vehicular access on Lime Avenue?

4) Will or has OPW approached the Developer to buy the M4 access road and car park separately from the remainder of the privately owned land? If so, what is the outcome? If not, why?

Staff Travel

Save Castletown Campaign would like further detail regarding staff travel to work.

1) What are the projections for daily staff compliment and attendance during the winter months?

2) How will staff traffic be managed for break times?

3) Are staff willing to car-share? If so, what is the maximum car presence daily?

4) How many staff cars enter the Batty Langley entrance on a daily basis?

5) Have residents of Batty Langley been consulted regarding staff access? If so, what was the outcome? If not, why?

6) What potential local car parks have OPW enquired about for a park and walk scenario?

7) How many staff use their cars to drive to work?

8) How many staff are based at Castletown House who are not employed to perform duties related to Castletown House or Grounds? ie: use the House as an administrative base?

9) Does OPW support hybrid working ie: work from home strategies? If so, do any staff avail of this?

10) Is there a plan for Brambles franchise to return to Castletown? If so, can you indicate a timeline? If not, are there plans to re-open the public cafe to another operator over the Winter months?

Unification of the Demesne

1) Is the OPW fully committed to making on-going attempts to purchase the land from the current developer?

2) Has a time limit been decided regarding attempts at negotiations with the Developer?

3) If negotiations fail, will OPW request pursual of CPO through other agencies?

4) What other means have OPW at their disposal to procur the private Lands?

5) What is OPW’s strategy going forward in providing access and parking for General Public and tour buses at Castletown House and Demesne?

Communication & Public Consultation

1) On what grounds did OPW decide against conducting public consultation regarding the loss of M4 entrance and car park and the planning of alternate solutions?

2) Do OPW plan to conduct a public consultation on this matter, and if so how? If not, why?

3) Are OPW prepared to provide transparency to the General Public by providing the following:

• Details regarding the Cease & Desist order regarding the use of M4 entrance and car park

• Documentation and written communications regarding ‘staff intimidation’

• Any documents (with employee names redacted if required to protect privacy) that demonstrate OPW Staff’s contractual assertion to drive to and park at Castletown Grounds and House

4) In the interests of collaboration and improved communication, can OPW agree to establish and adhere to a formal channel of communication with Save Castletown from herein?

5) The Community view the OPW’s social media strategy in a very negative light. The accompanying public comments speak volumes. In acknowledgement that this narrative does not create good will between OPW & Community, will OPW remove the recently published Castletown reels from all social media platforms within the next 24 hours?

6) At what point does OPW plan to restore original Winter opening of the Demesne?

On Monday November 13th 2023, a meeting was held to address the on-going stalemate with OPW regarding traffic on Lime Avenue at Castletown Demesne. The aim of the meeting was to consider what we understand to be the specific issues raised by OPW staff, so that we can appreciate their main concerns and discuss a potential solution.

Present at the meeting were individuals from the Save Castletown Committee, Friends of Castletown, Castletown Residents Association, the McMahon’s Meeting, the “No to Rezone” WhatsApp Group, and Celbridge Community Council. Attendance by the wider Save Castletown Campaign included representation from Gate Rota.

One of the primary difficulties for staff appears to be the sense that they were crossing a picket line when going to work every day, which brought with it a personal discomfort walking through a protest, albeit peaceful in nature. Additional negative sentiments from a small minority of random people online served to further deepen this sense of discomfort in going through the gates. The legislative basis for a complaint about safety at work, certainly a key component in the withdrawal of staff from the site, was discussed. The idea behind this is that perhaps we could resolve the legislative requirements with a tailored solution, thereby enabling OPW to bring staff back to work safely.

The majority of individuals present at the meeting were in a position to endorse a proposal which addressed these concerns. This proposal includes an adjustment to the format of our presence at the Celbridge Gate. This would enable staff to feel comfortable in returning to work by means of active travel (walking, cycling etc.), until the M4 entrance and car park are restored, or an appropriate alternative can be established.

The proposal has been issued by our local public representatives to Minister Patrick O’Donovan (Minister of State with responsibility for Office of Public Works) and Management at Office of Public Works.

While this impasse remains unresolved, the entire Community who never imagined they would have to defend their position to protect both access to and the actual integrity of Castletown House and Demesne, have sacrificed so much of their personal time, family life, and energy to an issue that is not of their making or choosing. Instead of walking freely through the gates of Castletown, they find themselves locked out both physically and metaphorically from the one place that provides solace and a reprieve to many every day. What an awful thing to share.

Save Castletown calls for a swift and harmonious resolution of these issues so we can all turn our attention to the primary goals of restoring the M4 entrance and car park, reuniting our Demesne and protecting our green belt.

Save Castletown Committee Statement 28/10/2023

Save Castletown Committee note OPW’s decision to revise and considerably reduce Winter opening hours of Castletown Estate ‘due to on-going issues’. We know that this narrower window of opening hours directly impacts the entire community, given that we have many locals who use the space for early morning or evening exercise, or to alleviate stress and gain a quiet few moments towards their health and wellbeing.

We also have quite a number of locals- adults and teens alike, who traverse the Estate early in the morning and later in the evening to travel to and from work and school by bike or on foot.

We are aware that OPW have a reduced staff workforce to maintain the Land, given that staff are not currently attending their workplace unless they can drive up Lime Avenue.

Save Castletown recognises an impasse between The Community’s and OPW’s perspective about the use of Lime Avenue to traffic.

In the meantime, we all suffer the consequences of the N4 entrance and car park closure.

To end the stalemate we all find ourselves in we reached out to OPW on Friday October 27th and called on them to host a public meeting, in order to share perspectives and hopefully arrive at a middle ground that works for all involved. Save Castletown Committee will make every effort to be in the audience at this meeting.

In tandem with this, we also wrote to our public representatives requesting their assistance with this very difficult situation. We are already beginning to receive supportive responses from our public representatives and we thank them for their swift move to assist.

Today OPW have notified us that they have responded directly to the private landowners’ solicitor’s letter and have followed up with a further 2 correspondences on October 19th and 27th 2023.

In the meantime, we await OPW’s considered response to our request.

Press Release From: Save Castletown Committee 25th October 2023

For the past seven weeks, a large body of community from Celbridge and neighbouring towns have joined together in response to the permanent closure of the N4 entrance and car park to Castletown House. This occurred due to an unsuccessful attempt by OPW to buy the land from a private owner earlier this year.

The gravity of the situation is on the tips of every local person’s tongue as they realise the consequences, which include no car park being available for the General Public or OPW staff, a cessation of access for vehicles travelling from N4 route and the subsequent diversion through the main gates of Celbridge at the village entrance. The village entrance is through the historic Lime Avenue, which is a pedestrianised entrance listed as a protected structure in the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029.

OPW’s initial response was a unilateral decision to build a new car park on a meadow at the front of the Demesne which is rich in biodiversity and within one of few remaining green belts on the land. Our community united to establish a peaceful campaign of protest; ‘Save Castletown’ to raise awareness and prevent this beautiful meadow from becoming tarmac. We recognised from early that OPW and the Community had become victims of a developer model that does not positively serve anyone. We offered alignment in working with OPW, opening the door for talks to begin in collaboratively meeting our objectives.

Unfortunately, OPW’s solution in the meantime was to open Lime Avenue to all traffic including large tour buses. These vehicles would drive on a narrow pedestrianised pathway while competing for space with adults, children and older people.

We have witnessed large tour buses trying to enter the Avenue through historic famine gates, risking irreversible damage to a historical monument. Traffic has driven up the Avenue while children are on this pedestrianised path. We are also aware of a rare species of bat roosting within the area which would be compromised by traffic.

Save Castletown Campaign believes that it is the OPW’s responsibility to be champions of the Land, finding a way forward that protects both land and community. To this end we tried to provide temporary solutions enabling staff to continue their excellent work both in the House and grounds of

Castletown. This would allow us to then focus on progressing successful long-term arrangements. Volunteers from the Save Castletown Committee attended several rounds of talks with no tangible agreement by OPW to proposed solutions. These solutions offered ways to enable staff to access their place of work safely, without exerting a burden of traffic on a pedestrian pathway.

Our large community of gate custodians have stood in all weathers to protect the N4 access and to ensure that Lime Avenue remains safe for all to enjoy.

Those who stand at the gates are from Celbridge and neighbouring towns and are a mix of young and old alike, all are passionate about protecting our Land.

The atmosphere is palpably friendly and peaceful and anyone who walks through the gates can be

provided with information about our campaign and engage in a chat if they wish. On several occasions members of An Garda Síochána have visited the gates and we have received no complaints regarding any intimidating behaviours on our part.

It is within this context that we read with dismay the statement released by OPW on October 23rd 2023 stating that the House and Estate may possibly have to close, directly blaming our campaign as the cause and with no acknowledgment that the cause of disruption is in fact the private acquisition and closure of the N4 access and car park by a local developer. Castletown House routinely closes to the General Public for Winter months, and we will fully support the continuance of staff work behind the scenes at this time.

Within this statement OPW inferred that staff are unable to safely access their workplace and are

made to feel intimidated while doing so.

The Save Castletown Campaign are genuinely shocked and saddened at this statement as we regard the staff as part of our community. It would be a dreadful paradox were we to demonstrate any hostility towards the very staff who have worked so hard to lovingly restore, maintain and protect our beautiful jewel in the crown of Kildare, that is Castletown House and Demesne. We have immense respect for the work of all staff and are distressed at the narrative that has been presented in the OPW’s statement.

We participated in lengthy discussions, most recently on Thursday 19th October together with many other parties, including KCC, local representatives, four Community groups, OPW, SIPTU and An Garda Síochána. Save Castletown Committee proposed a protocol enabling access to all essential service vehicles on Lime Avenue in absolute acknowledgement of the necessary maintenance, protection and operational aspects of the House and Grounds. The protocol included access on the Avenue for blue badge holders. It was proposed as was suggested by OPW in previous talks, that they would liaise with a community representative daily to discuss any concerns and traffic projections for the following day. Through this vital communication, we could work together to ensure on-going work of the House and Grounds remained intact.

From Friday 20th October our community implemented the suggested protocol. However, OPW did not maintain communication with us for the following three days and we had to initiate further contact with them. They responded to us clarifying some of our questions around staff needs. There have been sporadic unplanned calls regarding access for some vehicles. However formal communication channels are urgently required to make any progress. Instead of meaningfully engaging with us, OPW issued a statement that in no way reflects the nature of our campaign.

We have noted Minister Patrick O’Donovan’s comments in OPW’s statement on October 23rd calling for us to accord respect to staff and allow them access to their workplace. We would like Minister O’Donovan to come and see for himself in person, that nobody has been prevented from walking up the Avenue to the House. It is against the very principles of our campaign to prevent the work of the highly respected staff within the house and grounds to continue.

We have received a huge degree of support from many of our local Councillors and elected representatives and we now call for our government to do the right thing in moving to support the above goals with action rather than promises and statements.

We ask OPW to respect their own assessment from their document ‘Purchase of Lands adjoining

Castletown House -Business Case’ in September 2022, wherein they stated with clarity that the Celbridge Gate entrance ‘would not be appropriate now given the volumes of vehicles in question, the unique built features present at the Gate, it’s limited capacity for two-way vehicle movements, and the likely strong opposition of residents to having that volume of additional traffic flowing onto the main street in Celbridge’.

The OPW’s very own assessment fully aligns with the position of Save Castletown and must not be undermined.

Save Castletown Community call for an immediate withdrawal of the OPW statement which hurts our community. We also request that they begin to work productively with their key stakeholders- the Community, to move forward with solutions so we can all turn our focus towards the real issues at heart – the restoration of the N4 access and car park, the protection of our green belt and ultimately the reuniting of the Castletown Demesne.

End

Dear friends,

We have learned that unionised OPW staff have withdrawn their presence from Castletown, and the House and Estate now face temporary closure. In turn, this means that even if essential third-party services can access Castletown, there is limited availability of staff to assist in the application of those services. Given the community’s previous rejection of the protocol allowing staff to use Lime Avenue for vehicular access, we relayed several questions to OPW.

While we remain fully aware that all issues at Castletown are due to the denial of access and parking via M4 and that tens of thousands of people await OPW’s progress on that front, we are conscious of the depth of feeling within the community about OPW staff vehicular access via Lime Avenue. We are conscious also of the high regard the public have for OPW staff themselves. This situation is difficult and causing great anxiety all round. To aid clarification of OPW management’s pursuit of using Lime Avenue for staff vehicles, please see the Questions and Answers below. #SaveCastletown Committee

Question 1

Have OPW considered a tighter time frame/window for staff vehicular access?

Answer

• OPW is bound by trade union agreements over work times/shift patterns.

• [The OPW provided information indicating the specific traffic windows. SCC estimates ~15 cars entry in the morning and 15 cars exit in the evening during these times. Essential third-party services would be 5-6 vehicles spread across the day]

• Has carpooling been suggested?

Question 2

Has Carpooling been suggested?

Answer

• The OPW has staff arriving from numerous directions so this is not practical and does not answer the basic issue of where the cars will park.

Question 3

Is there any status OPW can share to us about Brambles?

Answer

• Brambles is closed until further notice.

Question 4

Couldn’t the Batty Langley Gate could be used for staff, as is currently the case for security. Have OPW been in touch with BL residents to see if they are supportive?

Answer

• The route by Batty Langley is also pedestrian priority but, unlike the Lime Avenue, it is not appropriately surfaced as a roadway for all classes of vehicle. The private road leading to the Batty Langley gate is also unsuitable for some classes of vehicles so access from Celbridge Gate remains necessary.

Question 5

Could you set out the issues with using the buggy to bring staff from gate to House?

Answer

• There are numerous issues with this. The buggy is a works vehicle used primarily for waste collection. It isn’t classified as a passenger vehicle. There would be welfare at work issues. It would mean twice as many vehicle movements as using cars as the buggy would have to go up and down each journey so adds more journeys to Lime Avenue than the proposed limited vehicle protocol. The buggy is of comparable size to staff passenger vehicles. As a utilitarian vehicle it is noisier than passenger cars. There is nowhere for staff to wait at the gates for the buggy. It is totally unpractical and would have huge operational issues.

Question 6

Could a minibus be hired to take staff from gate to House if the buggy is a non-runner?

Answer

• The OPW has looked at the cost of a minibus, but it is prohibitively expensive and is not a good use of taxpayers’ money but also does not solve the issue of where staff cars will park as the OPW do not own or have guaranteed access to car parking facilities in the immediate vicinity of the estate.

Question 7

What were OPW's plans for any mobility limited staff in the event the meadow carpark had gone ahead?

Answer

• It was always envisaged that staff would park in the staff car park in line with all other OPW sites that operate a system of pedestrian priority along traditional approach roads.

Question 8

Is the House currently staffed or have staff been withdrawn?

Answer

• As of this morning SIPTU members have not reported to work.

Question 9

What kind of services and supplies are essential on site, besides staff?

Answer

• NOTE: These sample essential services and supplies were provided to community groups’ representatives in hard copy only at a prior meeting and were not part of the same Q&A obtained by SCC in Questions 1-8 above. This is not a complete list; this is to illustrate the amount of expertise that goes into keeping Castletown safe and operable.

• Refuse: Recycling / compactor / dog waste / café food waste

• Plumbing: general services to maintain upkeep / treat leaks

• Pest Control: Essential in any premises

• Fire Safety: Smoke vents maintenance / alarms etc. / fire panel / hydrants / fire door checks

• Security: Maintaining CCTV and other equipment

• Fuel: Petrol for vehicles / lawnmowers / strimmer

• Cleaning: stocks of rubbish bags / toilet rolls / hand towels / soap etc.

• Bathrooms: Feminine hygiene products restock / emptying of sanitary waste

• Café: food stock deliveries

• Winter Preparation: tree management / roof check / gutter clearance

• Electrical: maintenance / repair etc.

• Events: setup and equipment

• Humidity Controls: important for Museum Accreditation (to preserve the condition of restored décor, artifacts, wall moisture levels etc.)

• Windows Refurbishment project is underway.

• Pathways and bridge upgrade.

• Stabilisation works to ha-ha’s, which are the walls concealed within ditches that enable an uninterrupted view of the lawns from the house.

Save Castletown Committee Statement regarding discussions with OPW on vehicular access to Lime Avenue 13/10/23

Yesterday, 1 member from each of the 4 community representative groups (Save Castletown, Friends of Castletown, Celbridge Community Council and Castletown Residents Association) met with OPW to discuss protocols for the management of vehicles on Lime Avenue. The development of these protocols was an agreed outcome from the meeting held on Tuesday October 10th 2023, as referenced in yesterday’s announcement from the Office of Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works.

These protocols will form an agreement between OPW and Community, regarding how the ongoing upkeep, restoration and general running of the House can be maintained during our peaceful protest.

The Save Castletown Committee agreed to participate in these discussions, pending the establishment in the next two weeks of a new working group which will be co-ordinated by an Independent Chair. The Group will have membership from representatives of all 4 community groups, OPW, KCC, members of An Garda Síochána and elected representatives. This working group will focus on the work of reuniting the Lands of Castletown, the protection of Lime Avenue and the resolution of current difficulties with M4 access.

Notwithstanding the recent turmoil which the Community have witnessed in our on-going endeavours to secure and protect our land, Save Castletown Committee participated in these discussions today to support by extension, the protection of Castletown House, which is very dear to the entire community.

Any agreement going forward, is very much dependent on the on-going effort by OPW to engage meaningfully with the Community. We wish to see real collaboration with us through the mechanism of the new working group, to reunite the land and maintain the M4 car park and access. We consider this to be the only appropriate entrance for traffic management across Castletown Demesne.

Today’s discussions were very difficult, as we all understand that in the long-term, Lime Avenue is not a suitable roadway. It has been pedestrianized for many years and is safely enjoyed by children and adults alike. The long-term use of Lime Avenue for vehicles would be unacceptable to our community for safety, architectural and ecological reasons, given the historic famine gates at its front, other historical buildings in its proximity, the presence of rare bat species and the significant age of the Lime trees.

In the short-term and pending a proactive move by the OPW towards re-uniting the Lands and securing permanent access to M4 gate and car park, the 4 community representative groups have in essence, agreed to the details of the discussions as attached in OPW’s draft document. This document is currently under review by our Committee and we may submit further clarifications before the final draft is agreed and released.

The OPW have agreed to maintain daily engagement with our representatives to appraise us of the operation of the protocol, to project traffic expectations for the following day and to hear and discuss any concerns from our representative groups.

OPW have asked that no recording or photography of vehicles, their occupants or registration details, in the interests of staff privacy.

Save Castletown protest remains very much alive and on-going. We remain fully committed to pursuing and achieving all our campaign aims. We will not rest until our lands are reunited, the M4 access is fully restored, and our Lime Avenue returns once again to its safe, fully pedestrianized status. We will remain watchful, alert, and ready to step up our campaign as required into the future.

End

Statement in response to communication from OPW to Primrose Hill Primary School

regarding cancellation of Maths Trail 2023

The Committee of Save Castletown Group this morning received notification from concerned community members regarding receipt of a memo from Primrose Hill Primary School. This memo outlined that OPW have cancelled the forthcoming Maths Trail for their classes, which occurs on an annual basis for local children. Maths Week, which commences on 14thOctober 2023, is a vital opportunity for our children to engage in ‘maths in the environment’ as part of the Primary School Maths Curriculum, within the beautiful and educational setting of Castletown House grounds.

The OPW have cited the ongoing and necessary protesting by our community in the protection of Castletown Demesne, as its reason for the cancellation of the Maths Trail. They would have this school and the General Public believe that these peaceful community protests have caused disruption to their staff and necessary services from accessing the House, thus preventing them from facilitating Maths Trail for our local children.

The Save Castletown Committee would like to assert the following:

• During our peaceful gate protests, visitors and staff attending Castletown grounds are politely asked not to drive up the pedestrianized Lime Avenue. This is in the interests of protecting the ancient trees, the historical structures at the front of Lime Avenue, the protection of a rare bat species and for safety and protection of our pedestrian and cycling community, most especially our children.

• No person, including staff or services, are being prevented access to the grounds and can visit on foot, by bike, or by car if they are a blue badge holder, or by using alternative parking arrangements.

• The Maths Trail is conducted and supervised by teachers and parent volunteers from local schools and is customarily held around the grounds of Castletown. On this occasion however the Maths Trail was to be within in the house and although paying tours were still going ahead the School were informed they could not be accommodated. Children usually arrive on foot to the grounds, negating the requirement for traffic management and promoting healthier lifestyle choices. Our peaceful protest will therefore have zero impact on their arrival.

• The only ‘supplies’ required by classes to engage with the Maths Trail, is the use of a pre-existing maths worksheet, which can be provided to the schools for printing in advance of visits.

• Considering that the Save Castletown Campaign has not prevented staff from attending Castletown House, merely requesting they not drive up Lime Avenue, the Save Castletown Committee believe that the decision by OPW to prevent local children from enjoying the annual maths trail, affects and hurts our very own community.

• Meanwhile the House and grounds remain open to private tours by payment, as confirmed by the booking section on their website today.

We now call on OPW to immediately reverse their decision of cancelling the Maths Trail, to enable our community and our children to engage with environmental maths, as is their annual tradition.

We also call for an end by the OPW to references or insinuations that protestors are in any way preventing access by staff and services to the House or grounds, as this is simply not fact and is unhelpful to the cause at hand- reuniting the lands of Castletown, protecting it from destruction or erosion and ensuring on-going access to the existing car park.

End

In response to recent developments and communications issued by the Office of Public Works (OPW), members of the Celbridge community, local politicians and Patrick O'Donovan TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Office of Public Works and the Gaeltacht, the owners of the Castletown Lands (the Owners) would like to provide the following statement:

On August 11th the Owners suggested a mediation process to the OPW in order to allow dialogue to continue. The OPW did not take up this offer.

On 13th September, following a request for a meeting from the OPW, the Owners repeated the offer of mediated negotiations to the OPW. The OPW accepted that offer and on September 29th the Owners and the OPW participated in a mediated negotiation process, which was conducted under the guidance of an impartial mediator. Due to the confidential nature of the mediation process for both parties involved, we are restricted from disclosing specific details, but unfortunately, the mediation process did not end in agreement.

It is important to note that no negotiations occurred between the Owners and the OPW between September 13th and September 28th.

We are acutely aware of the immense frustration felt by the people of Celbridge, Leixlip, and North Kildare due to the ongoing situation and we share in this frustration. Additionally, we recognise the requests from the local community and elected representatives urging us to continue a dialogue with the OPW. Based on these communications, the Owners have again initiated contact with the OPW to seek to recommence a dialogue with the OPW and the Minister to try to reach an agreement.

While we are worried about the sincerity of the OPW's stated interest in acquiring the Castletown Lands, in the hope of reaching a solution, we remain committed to negotiation with the OPW. While the Owners did not purchase the Castletown Lands for the purpose of selling on to the OPW, we entered the mediation process with completely open minds. We must stress to the OPW and the Minister that we cannot accept any offer for the Castletown Lands other than the current market value of those lands.

End

STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIRMAN ON BEHALF OF THE SAVE CASTLETOWN COMMITTEE

The Save Castletown Committee note the outcome of a meeting between our four TD’s and the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan TD. We encourage these talks to continue with urgency, and we are grateful for that engagement and the efforts of our TD’s to advocate on our behalf for solutions.

In the Minister’s statement we note an implication that the public, are not “working with” the OPW. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This committee represents the voice of tens of thousands of members of the public. It has made its leadership available at disrespectfully short notice to the OPW, when they schedule a time for us to hear announcements about talks breaking down, and to listen to their difficulties in the situation. As recently as Monday 2nd October, we met and engaged late into the evening. At that meeting, suggestions this committee made about retrying previous initiatives were understood as not possible to revisit or too expensive, or where new ideas arose, not possible or feasible to implement. This is a concept we have heard before, in relation to the OPW’s failed talks with the private developers, and before that, a failed attempt to buy the lands in question, off market, some years ago.

We listened carefully to the OPW’s concern that their staff need to attend their place of work and wish to put on the public record that no individual is being prohibited from accessing the grounds. However, we do not and will not support the historic Lime Avenue being used as a vehicular roadway. OPW staff are not being denied access to the grounds and are welcome to walk up Lime Avenue if they choose to access the house from that entrance. Our children walked or were wheeled there in their chairs. Their children will be no different. Lime Avenue is a pedestrian route to the magnificence of Castletown House and Demesne. The people of Leixlip are currently being denied their long-established entrance to the estate. They know that accessing through Castletown Gate, via Celbridge Main Street, is not a solution.

We stand ready to learn what the OPW can do, in the public interest, given the crisis we are all presented with now.

We look forward to hearing whether any of the ideas we have put to the OPW have been noted or reconsidered. The minutes to the meeting of Monday 2nd October have not yet been made available to us. We look forward to having sight of those minutes, and we look forward also to our next planned meeting with the OPW, set for Thursday 5th October (time and venue unknown).

Meanwhile we support the public in exercising their rights, as well as observing their obligations, while protesting.

Kevin Sig

Kevin Mullen, Chair

End

Link to Report

Press Release from: ‘Save Castletown’ Committee

Saturday 30th September 2023

Talks have broken down between OPW and Kilross Developers

The Committee of ‘Save Castletown’ would like to draw the Media’s attention to last night’s statement released by the OPW on September 29th 2023, which asserts that talks between OPW and Kilross Developers regarding the M4 access, car park and reuniting the Castletown Demesne have broken down.

This has resulted in an immediate loss of the main access to the grounds of Castletown House via the M4 and also the loss of the current car park.

OPW have stated that from today, traffic will now be directed through the historical Lime Avenue from the village of Celbridge. Visitors to Castletown House and Demesne have long enjoyed a safe, peaceful pedestrianised access along this avenue. Of significance, there is a species of rare bat roosting within the ancient trees of the avenue. ‘Save Castletown’ which is representative of thousands of members of the local Community, strongly feels that traffic on this avenue is an unacceptable solution from an ecological, historical and traffic management perspective.

We note with deep frustration that within the OPW’s own Business Case 2022, OPW clearly deemed the Main Avenue from Celbridge village to be a wholly inappropriate choice for vehicular access from a structural, historical, traffic management and Celbridge residents perspective.

To this end the people of Celbridge have resumed peaceful protest at both the M4 and Avenue gates. We believe that in order to protect our land, no vehicles should be allowed on this Avenue and that the access to the M4 entrance and car park must be re-established.

Save Castletown is now exploring legal routes to this end and will not rest until the car park and M4 access are re-instated and the lands of Castletown Demesne are re-united.

End

Chair Person: Mr Kevin Mullen. Email: kevin.mullen@outlook.ie

Deputy Chair: Mr Vinnie Monaghan. Email: vinniemonaghan168@gmail.com

STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIRMAIN OF SAVE CASTLETOWN, KEVIN MULLEN ON BEHALF OF THE SAVE CASTLETOWN COMMITTEE

29/09/2023

We note the communication from OPW with respect to their negotiations with the private owner of the lands at Castletown. It appears that our goal of reuniting the lands at Castletown has not been achieved, yet. We have not lost sight of our mission in that regard. With great dismay we note the renewed threat to our current access modes and locations. Our goal to reunite the lands at Castletown is unchanged. Our target is to ensure this outcome without the destruction of the meadow, or of the pedestrian oasis we currently enjoy on the Avenue. To that end, our committee now turns to bringing OPW and DPER back to a renewed focus on pursuing a Compulsory Purchase Order, and a re-engagement with the private landowner in that context. Simultaneously, we intend to pursue an injunction against the closure of the M4 carpark and access route and against any construction activity on other sites within the Demesne. We will need the public's help in the coming days and weeks to demonstrate our intention, and to show our politicians the enormous level of support for these objectives. We will also launch a fundraising initiative. Our journey has started well - just look what we have achieved - but is not yet complete. This will be a tale of two halves, much like the construction of the Battey Langley Lodge. As a symbol of that oft forgotten feature of Castletown's history, we will meet at the Battey Langley gates on Sunday 1st October at 2pm and commence a peaceful walk to protest this unacceptable delay in reunification of the lands and the threat to our precious asset. This walk will demonstrate our intention to Save Castletown with vigour, with courtesy, and with determination to finish the task. We will gather at the front of the House, and I will be humbled to meet and speak to you all there. Without a solution, this issue is going to prevent generations of people ahead of us being precluded from access to these lands. From enjoying the tranquillity, mental wellbeing, and privilege that these lands have provided to us. So, it’s not just affecting us, it’s affecting future generations. We will support protests originating from the community if they are peaceful, and in line with our goals. This community has already demonstrated its strength and we will be proactive towards our goals.

We will #SaveCastletown.

Is mise le meas,

Kevin Sig

Kevin Mullen Chair

Link to Statement