Conor Pass in County Kerry.Dieglop/ Wikimedia Commons
A petition has been launched calling on the Irish Government to buy the iconic Conor Pass in County Kerry and convert it into a national park.
The landmark holding has been put on the market for €10 million by US owner Mike Noonan. It is one of the most scenic and visited driving routes in the country and features 400 acres of forestry in addition to almost 1,000 acres for agriculture and mountain grazing.
The narrow road, which is only wide enough for one car at points, weaves its way around steep cliffs and offers stunning views of lakes, mountains, and valleys.
A petition has been launched urging the government to buy the land, collecting more than 5,000 signatures in two days.
"Get the NPWS (National Parks and Wildlife Service) to buy Conor Pass and turn it into a national park for the benefit of people and nature. Show that Ireland is serious about restoring nature for the benefit of all of us," the petition states.
"The NPWS and the state has a responsibility to respond to the biodiversity crisis and Climate collapse. The restoration of land and ensuring that land is held for the benefit of all should be the primary goal of the NPWS and buying this parcel of land would be a great step towards that."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has since stated that the Irish Government would be interested in speaking with Noonan with a view to purchasing the land.
However, Varadkar said the state would not pay the full €10 million that Noonan is seeking.
"I think it’s fair to say the State won’t be paying €10m 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," Varadkar said on Friday.
"Our national parks are a wonderful public asset and I’d like to see more of them, I’d like to see them made bigger but it’s the taxpayers' money, and if there’s a reasonable price that we can agree then I think we’d like to take it into public ownership."
Varadkar added that the "price must decrease" if the government is to buy the land.
Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne said the land presented a "real opportunity" for a rewilding project.
"Its purchase by Government would provide an opportunity to work with conservationists and develop a plan for the restoration of the land," Byrne said.
Noonan has stated that he wants the Irish public to continue to be able to enjoy the land after he sells it, adding that he is seeking to sell to a buyer who will "keep it together".
"It would be nice if the Government would look at it as far as a park or anything like that," Noonan said.