Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 20 September 2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate

1:30 pm

Mr. Michael Parsons:

We would love to do that and there is a way to do it. We are involved in the march of O'Sullivan Beare event. There is the Beara Way which extends for hundreds of kilometres. The Heritage Council is helping in that regard. In fact, I spoke at its launch a year or two ago. That is exactly the type of initiative we can reach. The heritage sector does not necessarily need an awful lot of money, although I will be roundly castigated when I appear back at base after saying that. Of course, we need money, but we need to be able to link up with local communities, even on a county basis. We really have great links with heritage officers and very good relations with the county councils. If a scheme such as the one mentioned by the Deputy is proposed, the Heritage Council would certainly back it, first with expertise and probably with a small amount of seed funding to see how it would develop, before looking for more money because I think it is a very good idea.