Heritage Sites
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-13
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Fiona O'Loughlin (FF), Administrative Panel

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I acknowledge the good intentions of the Minister. I also acknowledge those in the Department whom I have been liaising with. They are very prompt. They put in place the system that is currently there. However, it is not rectifying the problem because even when the court proceedings are issued, there is a period in which those who are there illegally can occupy that land, and during that period there is damage done and an awful lot of waste left there. While I acknowledge all that, I want to see clarity on the timeline needed in terms of the recommendations. I acknowledge the Department is working to ensure we move to a modern and sustainable regulatory model to make this important landscape protected and free from illegal encampments. It is the timeline we need at this stage. We need to see the Curragh protected, respected and properly maintained. It is a treasured amenity and needs to be preserved for future generations. What I want from the Minister of State is the timeline for the transfer of ownership, the new plan put in place and possibly the legislation I have introduced on illegal encampments enacted because it is clear the present system is not working and we need a different one.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-13/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:56+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-13