Victor Boyhan praises OPW restorations at national gardens

Thank you, Cathaoirleach, and first I want to welcome you, Minister, and to firstly thank you for your very comprehensive report on the work of the Office of Public Works and the priorities and the progress statement. I want to thank you also for your drive and enthusiasm since you became Minister in this area, and I want to single out three particular projects that I'm associated with. Firstly, the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, the jewel in the crown, the gracious oasis, one of the best, as the best outside of Edinburgh, the best botanical gardens in the world. I trained there for a number of years, I know it well, I have been to Kew, I have worked in many of these botanic gardens across Europe. I know it is a wonderful jewel in the crown, and I want to thank the OPW, I want to thank Matthew Cherb, who is the Director of the National Botanic Gardens, and his staff. That's one. I weak one ask. With the fern house there falling into the ground, and I know there is various sites and planning permissions for it, and I was out there Sunday week and again just to see it all boarded up. What a shame. And the great Victoria Amazonica aquatic pool plant that's there, no longer there. But I know that's a project in hand, and at some time in the future maybe you might appraise us of progress there. The next thing I'd like to thank the OPW is for the acquisition of Kilmacora House in County Wicklow, a further extension of the National Botanic Gardens. I'm delighted to say I was there two weeks ago also, and see the restoration that you've been involved, that you have driven, and are determined to see, albeit incrementally, but it's an impressive operation. The house is being restored. I think that's an amazing piece of work, amazing site, and I'd ask people to go and see it. And finally, Altamont House and Gardens in County Carlow, and again we see the Office of Public Works undertaking a massive restoration of a period house. They acquired that place, and what's great about the OPW, they're a national organisation, and we in Dublin are very privileged and lucky, as are some of the greater cities, to have period gardens. But what I like particularly about Altamont, that you can go there free too, because every garden and public space I visit around Ireland, outside of Dublin, and the big towns, there's a charge for them. But in this case there's no charge, there's a mere ask to put a euro in a machine to park for two hours at Altamont, which is very reasonable, very unfair, and very fair. It is the most famous collection of, of course, snowdrops, galanthus, for those who know them, and I think that's a wonderful achievement. I have a huge interest in the heritage and Irish heritage gardens, and all botanical and horticultural matters, and I want to say that I never visit any of those three sites, you know, without being exceptionally proud of the amazing, amazing horticulture, the skill and artistry of horticulture and landscape design. And I commend the Office of Public Works. I finish by saying, when you restore the homes in the hearts of these estates and these oases, you really make them alive. They become alive because you've coffee shops, you've artisan foods, you've other activities. So I say, and I ask you, Minister, to convey to the people involved, well done to the Office of Public Works, and to you, that I know is involved centrally in driving three key projects in the last 12 months. Well done.