Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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20. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has reviewed the plans for the remainder of the 2020 season in respect of Sceilg Mhichíl, County Kerry, in view of the acceleration of the Covid-19 roadmap and the economic boost reopening the site to visitors would bring to south County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16944/20]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate Deputy O'Donovan on his appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, OPW. I wish him the very best. I know that he will do an excellent job.

I tabled this question because the Skelligs are important to the economy of south Kerry and, to a lesser extent, west Kerry. Sceilg Mhichíl is one of two UNESCO world heritage sites in the Republic of Ireland. I welcome that a review is under way by the OPW in regard to the reopening of this site for the remainder of the 2020 tourism season. I thank the Minister of State for being so proactive on this matter to date. I am seeking an update on the review and I ask the Minister of State to expedite it because this site is one of the cornerstones of tourism in south Kerry and it would be helpful if a way forward could be found.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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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.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. I again emphasise how grateful I am that he is being so proactive on this matter and that the review is under way. With the acceleration of the roadmap the overall situation is evolving. I welcome that the OPW position is evolving alongside it. It is important to state on the record that safety and health considerations have to be to the fore in this matter. However, I ask the Minister of State to ensure every effort is made to ensure the health and safety recommendations and preconditions are factored into the economic need. It is hoped that a middle ground can be found such that the site can reopen safely. If this could be done, it would be a massive boost to the area. The area has already faced huge challenges in the past couple of difficult years and in the context of Brexit. This current challenge is a hammer blow to the area. If the site could be reopened, even for the August, September and October, it would be a boost to the entire economy of the area and, in particular, the people who are directly involved in enterprises directly related to the Skelligs. I again thank the Minister of State and I look forward to the outcome of the review. If it could be completed as speedily as possible it would be advantageous to everybody involved.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Griffin. I have asked the Chairman of the Office of Public Works to review its decision in regard to this site. We are taking the matter very seriously. It is hoped that the review process will be completed before the end of July, which is only a couple of days away. It is worth pointing out that the Skelligs is unique in terms of its UNESCO status and in terms of access, which is through collaboration between the Office of Public Works and the local boatmen who have to be consulted. There are a range of views within that cohort of people as well that we have to taken on board. It is also worth pointing out that because of its uniqueness and its location in the Atlantic, which can be very wild, up to 40% of tourist days in any season can often be lost due to bad weather. We are conscious of the need for social distancing. We have to operate within the Government guidelines and to be cognisant of the staff manning the boats and those who are responsible for the Skelligs.

We also have to be cognisant of our wider role as custodians of a national monument that has a particular economic and tourism potential, not only for south Kerry but for the wider country. As Minister of State with responsibility for it, I am very conscious of it, together with the commissioners of the OPW to ensure the best possible presentation of our national monuments and heritage sites, not only Sceilg Mhichíl but the others too, especially in the context of what remains of the tourism season for 2020.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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That is very good to hear. As someone who once held the junior Ministry with responsibility for tourism, the Minister of State gets this and knows what it is about. In fairness to him, he was on the matter as soon as he was appointed. For people I have spoken to in south Kerry, it has been very well received that he is prepared to examine the matter and give it his time. People want to feel that there is a fair hearing and that the issue is given every objective consideration. That is the main thing. If that is done here, people will be prepared to take whatever outcome is found to be the suitable way forward.

It would, of course, be preferable that there is the option for those businesses in a position to bring people to the Skelligs to go ahead and do so. It may not be suitable for certain people to do that and I know that it is not quite as straightforward as people just getting back up and running and going back into business. When the season is so short, economies of scale are lost and business plans have to be radically altered. Even if the site reopens, it may not be the case that every boatman will avail of the opportunity to go, but it would be marvellous if people at least had the option.

I am very grateful to the Minister of State for his work on the issue. He was on it immediately, which is very encouraging.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I congratulate the Minister of State on his new appointment. As I have been calling for the reopening of Skellig Michael for some time, I am glad to support Deputy Griffin in his question. The entire area of south Kerry is being adversely affected by the ongoing closure of Skellig Michael. Portmagee, Valentia, Ballinskelligs, Cahersiveen and Waterville greatly depend on this major attraction being open. As has been said, it is vital that we reopen it for the rest of the tourism season.

One of the problems is insurance for the boatmen and the cost of the insurance. Just as the Government has supported other businesses in other ways, it is vital that it makes some financial contribution to the cost of insurance for the boatmen if it is to be got up and running.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his good wishes. A number of sites have closed and Sceilg Mhichíl is not the only one. Sites in Galway, Wexford, Laois, Clare, Dublin, Wicklow, Meath, Tipperary and Kildare are also closed. They are closed on the basis of health and safety, which is important to point out to the House. We have to be conscious of the potential of the virus to spread because we cannot maintain social distancing.

The Deputy referred to insurance. Insurance is an element for the boatmen but our concern has to be the protection of the people who work on a site or visit it. We have to ensure that if we open a site, we do so in the knowledge that the likelihood of people contracting the virus is minimised or eliminated. The OPW is responsible for this building, for instance. There are no members of the public here any more, for the same reason. We have to ensure we can operate our sites safely and, before we bring people in, that they will be safe.

To respond to Deputy Griffin's point, I am supportive in general of the concept of trying to open as many sites as possible. I will keep him up to date on the specifics of Sceilg Mhichíl. I cannot currently comment further but I am committed to examining whether we can get some sort of roadmap, if not for this year then certainly for next year.