Full public access to the historic Castletown House is expected to be reinstated before Christmas following the Office of Public Works' purchase of surrounding lands, Fine Gael TD Joe Neville has said.

The Kildare North representative welcomed the move as a significant boost for the local community and the many visitors who come to the estate from across the country.

Deputy Neville explained: "This is an end to an issue of access which had a deep impact on the community and all who loved visiting Castletown House. 235 acres of land surrounding Castletown House was bought by a private purchaser in 2022 and access to the house from the M4 was then restricted.

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"As a result of this, visitor numbers to the Castletown House and estate plummeted and a key local amenity was ripped from the heart of North Kildare.

"The OPW has announced the purchase of the 235 acres, in addition to the 227 acres that the OPW already owns – resulting in the reunification of the lands at Castletown House.

"This is wonderful news for North Kildare and demonstrates the state's recognition of the valuable historical significance of this site and amenity for the area.

"The next step now is to restore the carpark at the M4, to ensure visitors can access and visit this site as soon as possible. In addition, work must be done to ensure the coffee shop reopens and jobs are restored – so business can resume for visitors and staff in time for the Christmas season.

"I'll be working closely with the OPW to impose a timeline for all works to be completed. The staff and wider community have waited long enough for this to happen."

The acquisition reunites the estate's lands after restrictions were imposed following a 2022 private purchase, with Neville urging swift restoration of facilities so the site can fully reopen ahead of the festive period.