Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, for taking this issue. It concerns Shannon Heritage and how it is enabled to run tourist attractions in County Clare, particularly Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The latter is an important component of Shannon Heritage and attracts international and national visitors throughout the year, numbering up to 350,000 annually. Therefore, it is one of the leading attractions in Ireland. It is the jewel in the crown of Shannon Heritage. Shannon Heritage has a difficulty in regard to how it can fund the development of the attraction.

Shannon Heritage is part of Shannon Group, which consists of Shannon Airport, Shannon Heritage, Shannon Commercial Properties and the International Aviation Services Centre, located at Shannon Airport. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is just one of the attractions that Shannon Heritage manages and develops. It also looks after King John's Castle, Limerick, Craggaunowen, County Clare, Knappogue Castle and Walled Garden, and Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara. It has expanded beyond the region to develop other attractions, including Malahide Castle and Gardens and the GPO Witness History heritage experience. Therefore, Shannon Heritage has a broad portfolio. It has to be commercially viable to exist. This is the difficulty. It has to generate income from its own resources, yet it is looking after many historical sites dating back centuries. It has to maintain and develop these attractions with income it generates with very little State support, particularly from the museum service. It is a custodian of historical sites but it is limited in its capacity to develop them. The Government, therefore, needs to recognise the cultural significance of the portfolio Shannon Heritage looks after.

Shannon Heritage currently has an €8 million development plan in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland. The former will provide €3 million and the latter €5 million. Shannon Heritage does not have the money for new acquisitions, yet it has to develop its own sites. I ask that the State play a more active role in supporting Shannon Heritage as a custodian of our historical sites, the treasures of our country, and develop them into modern tourist attractions. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is running into difficulties and does not have a modern element. It needs to be upgraded to attract visitors.

Shannon Heritage is intimately connected to Shannon Airport. Through the development of Shannon Heritage sites, we can increase the throughput in the airport. As the Minister is well aware, Shannon Airport has the capacity to increase its numbers. It has about 1.8 million visitors at present, and this number could be increased to 4.2 million. Shannon Heritage is a component of how one can improve the number of passengers going through Shannon Airport. I would like the Minister to respond to these points.

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