Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Gray. He still has not answered the question. He must have known this would come up.

I would like to ask Ms Considine about Shannon Heritage. She expressed concern about staff and the fact that the sites will not reopen in September. I understand they are to close at the end of August. I was disappointed that Ms Considine made no commitment to extend this opening period. I believe the stimulus has changed things. I visited Bunratty Castle with several of my colleagues last Sunday. Staff there told me that 60% of the visitors were domestic tourists. We all accept that international travel has fallen, but we cannot simply say that there is nothing to be done. There is an opportunity here, especially with the stimulus. We are asking people to take staycations. Shannon Heritage workers are deeply concerned. As Ms Considine knows, many of these people have given years to Shannon Heritage and the sites it operates, namely, Bunratty Castle and King John's Castle in my own city. I ask Ms Considine to answer the question we asked in meetings with her two weeks ago. How much money did she ask the Government for, particularly with regard to Shannon Heritage? Will she consider keeping the sites open after the end of August?