Land at Kerry's scenic Conor Pass has gone on sale for €10 million.
The landmark holding near Daingean Uí Chúis has been put on the market by its US owner Mike Noonan.
Speaking on RTÉ's Liveline with Katie Hannon, Mr Noonan said: "I have five grandkids now and it's hard to be away from them.
"I used to spend quite a bit of time over here and now that I’m up there in age I want to spend more time with my family.
"I just saw it as a very scenic area and wanted to keep it together."
Mr Noonan, whose family is originally from outside Tipperary, and described himself as being like "the yank in The Field", began buying land in the area about 25 years ago, first in forestry and then "more scenic land".
The property has sheep and 1,400 acres in total - including 400 acres of mature forest - which has been pruned so hillwalkers can explore the land.
Mr Noonan is adamant that the property be kept together and will not rush into a sale.
He wants the Irish public to continue to enjoy his land.
"I'm just looking for somebody that wants to keep it together," Mr Noonan said.
"It would be nice if the Government would look at it as far as a park or anything like that.
"Because the Irish people should enjoy it. I don’t want to break it up because there are so many hill walkers and everything that enjoy their time there.
"I would hate to have a person that buys it that is not open to the communities around Dingle."
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Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne called on the Government to buy the 1,400 acre Conor Pass as a national park to safeguard its future.
"The sale of Conor Pass presents a real opportunity for the State to purchase one of our most iconic and scenic locations and embark on a rewilding project," Senator Byrne said.
"In addition to its tourism potential, Conor Pass is also an important ecological asset and I believe that it is essential that we do everything we can to secure its future.
"Its purchase by Government would provide an opportunity to work with conservationists and develop a plan for the restoration of the land.''
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae said the money would be better spent on supplying houses to local residents.
"It is a beautiful area, and we want it to be protected. But the State cannot come out and say we will buy everything that looks nice and looks well, so that we can protect it. We do not have to do that," Mr Healy-Rae said.
He added that planning laws ensure that people would not get permission to erect "a henhouse" on the land in question, so it is safe without State intervention.
"If you go over the Conor Pass to the other side and fall down into Dingle town, we have a desperate situation there where we need more affordable housing. We need the local authority to build council houses," said Mr Healy-Rae.
While Senator Byrne did not disagree with Mr Healy-Rae, he maintained that there was value in investing in a national park.
"They are not mutually exclusive ideas. We can both build houses, which is absolutely the Government's top priority.
"But I think the creation of a national park around the Conor Pass would be a wonderful testament to generations into the future," Senator Byrne said.
