Luggala and national park
Letter to the editor of the Irish Times
Published Feb 10 th 2017
Sir,
Keep Ireland Open is very heartened by the Government’s commitment to purchase this 5,000-acre estate providing that the price is considerably less than the asking price of 28 million Euro.
We suggest that the Minister of State for Regional Economic Development Michael Ring TD should sound out the estate agents to see if they would entertain an offer for the land only, except for say 100 acres around the house.
We imagine that a prospective buyer might not be interested in this, mostly mountain, land and might be more than pleased not to have the responsibility of looking after it.
Now to the value of 4,900 acres. The Minister in his speech to the Dáil last week said that the State had acquired a similar acreage of mountain land at the Featherbed last year for 800,000 Euro. Allowing for a higher value on the Luggala land, as it includes some lowland grazing perhaps it could be acquired for something around 1.5 million Euro, which would represent excellent value to keep this unique amenity open to the public.
Yours etc
Roger Garland,
Chairman,
Keep Ireland Open