Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not remotely churlish about Skellig Michael and I am kept fully briefed and informed about filming on it at all times. There has to be a dose of reality with regard to it and there is some misinformation about it. Skellig Michael lies 14 km offshore in what are euphemistically known as challenging sea conditions and it is cut off by sea for seven months of the year. Its archaeology, which has survived for 15 centuries, is open to the full natural fury of the Atlantic elements. Its biggest challenge is not its visitors. Those numbers can be controlled. It is actually the wild Atlantic elements to which it is exposed. None of those events caused any damage to the ecology, ornithology or archaeology of the island at any stage. I am satisfied with the screening, supervision during filming and the ex postecological report, all of which were published.

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