Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Griffin for his good wishes. I know that this is an issue he feels strongly about because he raised it with me in the immediate aftermath of my appointment.

As the Deputy is aware, the OPW announced earlier this year that the Sceilg Mhichíl visitor site would not open at the scheduled date of 16 May because of Covid 19 concerns. In the context of the significant restrictions in place throughout the country at the time, the decision was not wholly unexpected. While it was greeted with general regret, it was broadly accepted that opening the Island to visitors was not feasible on safety grounds.

Some weeks on, things have changed significantly as Government has announced an accelerated timeframe for reopening the country. We can all see the changes around us and sense the pace picking up as society and businesses get back to normal. In this context, it is appropriate that the position at Sceilg Mhichíl would be reviewed. The OPW has, therefore, recently started a formal review of the Sceilg Mhichíl closure and it is going through a process to reassess all of the risks and see if they can be mitigated to the extent that an opening might be feasible.

There are two main elements to the visitor journey at Skellig. The first is the boat trip, which is delivered by local boatmen, and the second is the on-island experience, where visitors land on the pier and make their way to the monastic remains on the summit of the island. These two aspects have to be analysed fully, and should either fail the crucial safety test, it may not be possible to make a positive decision. My officials have been in touch with the Skellig Boatmen's Association within the past two weeks and have sought its formal input into this process, understanding that they, not the OPW, are in charge of safety on passenger vessels and must be consulted, which Deputy Griffin, as a local representative would know. Separately, the OPW is also carrying out a thorough risk assessment of the visitor journey on the island to examine all aspects afresh.

I am aware of the iconic place that the Skelligs hold in Irish tourism and its importance to south Kerry in particular, and as a former Minister of State with responsibility for tourism, I would be anxious to ensure that all our heritage assets perform to support our tourism economy. However, we will have to be guided first and foremost by safety concerns. I can assure the House that the review will be as thorough as possible in that respect.

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