Minister of State Andrew Doyle TD has secured a meeting with Minister of Culture Heritage & the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, together with Wicklow Partnership, Wicklow Uplands Council and Mountaineering Ireland to discuss the future of the iconic Luggala estate in Co. Wicklow with a view towards assessing the State’s engagement in the sale of this historic house and estate of some 5,000 acres.
“The estate has been offered with a price tag of €28million. It is a significant property in the context of the Wicklow Mountains National Park as well as strategically important from a heritage perspective. Adjacent land was purchased in 2006 which enabled the joining up of two sections of the National Park and so it’s hugely important to get these relevant bodies together at this juncture to discuss the sale of this property.
“The lands and roads around Luggala estate are always and understandably popular with both hillwalkers & tourists as the views are spectacular and have been used around the world to represent the Wicklow landscape. Likewise its appeal as a base for film locations places Luggala as one of the top destinations in the country. The estate contains a diverse range of habitats as well as bird and wildlife species.
“Tomorrow’s meeting will afford those present a valuable opportunity to explore the unique offering presented by the sale of this estate in Luggala, which is undoubtedly attracting quite a lot of interest. The meeting will allow various stakeholders with an interest, to engage with the Minister, with a view to preserving the amenity and its strategic importance, while respecting that this is a private sale.
“I look forward to some positive and constructive engagement and the opportunity to focus on the future of this estate from the perspective of its position in the context of the Wicklow Mountains National Park, and as a top tourist, heritage and amenity destination and how best to approach the sale of the property in this regard.”
Speaking ahead of the scheduled meeting, Brian Dunne, Coordinator of Wicklow Uplands Council said:
‘We welcome and look forward to the opportunity to discuss the future of the Luggala estate with Minister Madigan tomorrow’.
‘Wicklow Uplands Council will be asking that the Luggala estate be purchased by the State in order to preserve and protect its significant built and natural heritage features and also to secure public access for future generations’.
