Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kyne for the question. The Office of Public Works operates guide services at approximately 70 sites nationwide. Some of these locations are open on a full-time basis. However, the majority, approximately 46, are open seasonally on various dates between April and October. The guided visitor sites operated in Galway and Mayo and their relevant opening arrangements this year are that Athenry Castle is open from 3 April to 22 October; Aughnanure Castle is open from 3 April to 26 October; Dún Aonghasa is open all year; Portumna Castle and Gardens is open from 3 April to 25 September and subsequently on weekends only until 26 Oct; Pearse's Cottage was open over Easter from 17 to 21 April, and is open from 22 May to 3 September; and in Mayo the Céide Fields are open from 3 April to 29 October. All of these details are available to visitors through the main web information portal of the Office of Public Works, which is www.heritageireland.ie.

As the Deputy appreciates, a number of sites may from time to time be unavailable for particular reasons. For example, a number of castle sites have no opening, or limited access to grounds only, because of urgent work being undertaken to electrical systems. Generally speaking, while the OPW tries to keep such works to a minimum to avoid the main visitor season, it is not always possible to do this and some interference in the delivery of visitor services may result.

Representations are sometimes made to extend opening dates at sites. However, it is not feasible to do this in all cases given, in particular, the significant constraints on budgets. The OPW is open to the possibility of entering into arrangements with committed and organised local partner groups which might be interested in providing limited access to sites in the off season on a volunteer basis. A number of successful initiatives in this regard have been arranged. I thank the community groups which do this because no matter what resources the OPW has available it would never be possible to open all of the sites to the maximum so we do rely on community support.

The OPW has sought to encourage more people to visit heritage sites and with this in mind, introduced the free Wednesday scheme in 2011, allowing free entry to all visitors on the first Wednesday of each month. This has been a popular initiative.

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In 2014 for example, the OPW recorded approximately 79,600 complimentary visits on these dates. The detailed position on Galway and Mayo sites, where there were 6,711 free admissions in 2014 under this scheme, is as follows:

	Site	Free Weds Admissions	Total Admissions
Galway	Athenry Castle	743	13,532
	Aughnanure Castle	1,161	32,289
	Dún Aonghasa	2,719	121,001
	Portumna Castle and Gardens	679	15,211
	Pearse's Cottage	151	7,206
Mayo	Céide Fields	1,258	28,484
	Totals	6,711	217,723

As stated earlier, opening hours at sites vary throughout the year. At some sites for example, it would clearly be unsafe to operate late in the afternoon during winter and these sites must operate within safe tolerances. During the summer season, it is feasible to operate later in the evening and at certain sites, with a high visitor demand, later opening is employed. This is particularly the case at Brú na Bóinne and Cashel, where visitor facilities have been open until 7 p.m. during summer months for some years. This extended opening will also be introduced this year at Kilmainham Gaol for the first time, recognising the huge appetite among visitors for that particular site. It is not, however, economically viable to open later at the broad range of sites as there would not be a viable case to be made for the additional costs involved when the volumes of visitors are not sufficient to justify the investment.

All visitor service provision at OPW-managed heritage sites are kept under review and should circumstances dictate a different approach in the future, some of these arrangements can be modified appropriately. In some cases the OPW must be mindful that for conservation reasons access to a site experiencing over-pressure of visitors may need to be curtailed to ensure the historic fabric is not damaged. It is also appropriate, of course, to have some regard to certain more explicitly commercial considerations, given the fact that under changes introduced during 2013, the OPW can retain a certain proportion of income earned for reinvestment in the heritage estate. This may dictate a different approach in the future in regard to issues such as admission charges, franchise fees and so forth. The free Wednesday scheme, for example, which was designed to support the tourism economy at a particularly difficult time, may also need to be reassessed having regard to the income possibilities foregone. All these matters should continue therefore to remain under review to ensure that the right blend of management measures is applied for the circumstances facing the OPW. However, in all cases the OPW will operate from a general principle of maintaining a high level of public access, mindful of the central place occupied by many of these sites in the tourism economy and as part of the social and historic fabric of local communities.

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