I again want to raise Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara. The Minister is well aware of the situation there. I am getting hundreds of emails from locals and from tourists who cannot understand why this situation is being allowed to continue. They are rightly frustrated because this is an iconic landmark on the edge of Kinvara village and on the Wild Atlantic Way that has been closed indefinitely it seems. It is a huge loss to the local community and to the wider region. This issue comes down to funding for Galway County Council. What is the hesitation from Government in providing the funding that is necessary for the council to acquire the castle, bring it up to a safe standard and reopen it to the public? At this stage, people in Kinvara are sick and tired of the excuses coming from Government, passing the buck between Ministers and between Departments. We need to get this castle reopened. I call on the Minister to put a real proposal on the table and come down to Kinvara, meet community representatives, visit the castle and see for himself the situation there. It cannot be allowed to persist any longer.

I acknowledge the Deputy and the work we are trying to do on this significant asset. As he knows, we had a meeting with the key players who have the decision on this - the Department of Transport, Galway County Council and my Department through Fáilte Ireland. At that juncture, I advised them that our capital expenditure schemes would open from September of this year but I need a proposal that I can work with. I cannot fund through Fáilte Ireland the full capital and acquisition costs to bring this up to a level that would be amenable for visitors. I need to work with other parties to do that. If I get a proposal through Fáilte Ireland, I will be happy to work to bring it to fruition. The issue has been raised by a lot of people. Senator P. J. Murphy has been very much the forefront on it as well. We will do anything we can with the local authority and the Department of Transport but we have to work together. That is the key message I have.