We are interested in buying Conor Pass for a reasonable price, Taoiseach says

By David Young and Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The Government would be interested in buying Conor Pass in Co Kerry, but not for €10 million, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

The narrow route runs along the side of cliffs and passes through scenic countryside along the Dingle peninsula.

The 1,400 acres of land have been put up for sale by their US owner for a guide price of €10 million.

This has prompted calls from TDs and activists, including former general election candidate Saoirse McHugh, for the Government to buy the land and turn it into a national park.

Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan said it was a “great opportunity” to rewild the land and suggested creating a “Kerry National Park”.

Sinn Féin TD Aengus O’Snodaigh said that the land, encompassing three lakes, forestry, agricultural lands, valleys and waterfalls, would generate “significant interest from overseas and from private interests”.

“It is not often that almost 1,400 acres of outstanding natural beauty come up for sale,” he said, adding that it has been decades since the last national park was established, at Nephin in Co Mayo.

“The opportunity presents itself as a prime location for developing a new national park and engaging in the type of rewilding and nature conservation that is often discussed but rarely put into practice by Government.”

Mr Varadkar told reporters in Co Louth: “I think it’s fair to say that the state won’t be paying 10 million for it.

“But we would be interested in talking to the owner about a reasonable price.

“Because I’d like to see us extend our national parks, our national parks are a wonderful public asset and I’d like to see more of them and I’d like to see them made bigger.

“But this is taxpayers’ money and, if there’s a reasonable price that we can agree, well then I think we’d like to take it into public ownership, but the price has to be reasonable.”