asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider opening the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, to the public for use as a public park and recreation grounds.

It would not be practicable to make these grounds available for public recreational purposes.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary say on what grounds it would not be practicable to make the grounds of the Royal Hospital available to the public?

They are usually used for gardening and storage purposes.

Is this not an open space in the centre of a fairly well builtup area, ideally suitable for a public park which could be thrown open, at any rate, even without any expenditure of money, to the citizens resident in that area? I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary why the fact that the grounds are utilised for gardening or other purposes should necessarily involve the unsuitability of the grounds for being thrown open to the public. Is it possible that he would reconsider the decision of the Board of Works in the matter?

The Board of Works have given their reason and if there is anything I can do in the matter I will see what can be done.