Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Martin, on her appointment. Tá sé an-deas an Ghaeilge a chloisteáil sa Dáil freisin, gabhaim buíochas leo.

I will speak briefly about Shannon Heritage and its portfolio of sites. The group has nine sites and also operates the iconic GPO visitor centre on O'Connell Street. Shannon Heritage’s origins lie in the mid west. It was once run by Shannon Development. Some years ago, as many Deputies will remember, the Dublin Airport Authority was broken up. The Shannon Group is now a separate entity from the DAA and operates Shannon Heritage as a subsidiary. Shannon Heritage employs 300 staff, some of whom do not work all year around, although a core staff group of 145 works on a 12 month basis. Some staff have been with the organisation for upwards of 30 years.

The most iconic site owned by Shannon Heritage is Bunratty Castle, which is also the setting for the world famous Bunratty Folk Park, one of two major attractions in County Clare. We are blessed to have a beautiful county but most people who come on day visits to Clare, whether they are on Paddywagon tour buses or fly into Shannon Airport, will visit the iconic sites of the Cliffs of Moher and Bunratty Castle.

The region has been devastated in recent weeks to hear from Mary Considine, the chief executive of the Shannon Group that, and her management team that, on 31 August, Bunratty Folk Park and all the other sites managed by the group, including King John's Castle and Knappogue, will remain closed for the autumn and winter months. Initially, the Covid-19 public health guidance was cited but now it has become an issue of solvency. As the Shannon Group portfolio is spread between aviation, commercial property and heritage sites, the group is in an acute financial crisis. We heard in the Dáil earlier this week debates on staff lay-offs and pay cuts in Shannon Airport. The same is now happening in Shannon Heritage. This company has a staffing problem but it certainly does not face the same crisis that the aviation sector faces in that there is not the same volatility. If Dublin Zoo, the GPO site and key sites in the centre of Dublin are open to tourists at the moment, I cannot see why the mid west should lose out.

This is essentially a solvency issue. It makes no sense to have key, iconic, strategic sites in the mid west closed for business at a time when we are trying to attract those who are in our country and want to have a quality staycation. The international tourism market has imploded this year but the domestic tourism market is buoyant. Every possible attraction should be open to satisfy domestic tourists' needs.

The aviation task force, which we discussed last night, will report back this month. It is widely expected that funding will be announced for the airports, including Shannon Airport. I ask the Minister to insist at Cabinet that any more money awarded to the Shannon Group be conditional on it keeping its Shannon Heritage sites open throughout the autumn and winter months. I made the same point to the Taoiseach.

This has a domino effect. By closing down Bunratty Castle, a site that has been open since the late 1600s, due to Covid-19 during the autumn and winter months, we are denying ourselves huge opportunities in the mid west. People nowadays are very fickle in how they book holidays. With a few clicks of a mouse, they can decide to holiday in Kerry instead of Clare, which is very damaging to the region. The domino effect impacts on the many bars and restaurants in the immediate footprint of Bunratty Castle and those further afield in the county which leverage the castle to sell packages to incoming tourists. Will the Minister intervene to ensure that any State funding to the Shannon Group is made conditional on it reopening its sites? I would also like her Department to communicate the strategic importance of keeping Bunratty Castle, King John's Castle and the other Shannon Heritage sites in the mid west open throughout the autumn and winter.

I wish the Minister the best in her portfolio and thank the Acting Chairman.

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