Plans by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Éamon Ó Cuív, to provide a visitor's centre at Pádraic Pearse's summer house in Connemara appear to have been scuppered by the Department of the Environment. Lorna Siggins reports.
The Department is currently "reviewing" Mr Ó Cuív's proposal to honour the leader of the 1916 Rising. Two years ago yesterday, Mr Ó Cuív announced that a sum of €1.2 million had been allocated under the National Development Plan to develop an exhibition area and tearoom at the cottage.
Mr Ó Cuív, then Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, said that he envisaged the centre would be in place this year.
Teach an Phiarsaigh, which is in Mr Ó Cuív's Galway West constituency, was used by Pádraic Pearse as a summer residence and summer school for his pupils from St Enda's in Dublin. The cottage had been maintained by the Government as a national monument to Pearse's memory, and in 2002 it was attracting about 6,000 visitors annually.
It is understood the Department of the Environment does not believe that the visitor numbers warrant building a centre, whereas Mr Ó Cuív believes such a development would attract more people to Rosmuc. At the time of his announcement, Mr Ó Cuív said he believed that it would have a broader theme which would "extend beyond the story of Pearse and build on the richness of local culture".
Mr Seosamh Ó Cuaig, member of Udarás na Gaeltachta, said local residents were incensed to hear that the project was now "under review". This was an "insult" to the founder of this State, he said. Mr Ó Cuaig said that if the centre was not delivered upon, local people would stage a protest at the cottage at Easter.
Mr Tomás Ó Curraoin, Republican Sinn Féin candidate in the June local elections, pledged support for the Rosmuc residents, and said it was a "disgrace" that a promise had been broken.
A spokeswoman for the Minister said that Mr Ó Cuív was in continuing negotiations with the Department of the Environment on the matter, and was hopeful of a positive outcome.