Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

In that case he will understand the attraction of these sites. Despite the inadequate facilities, hundreds of tourists come every year to see the dolmen. We have no idea of the exact numbers but people from Germany and elsewhere come to see it because they are so in awe of the structure.

The good news is that Carlow County Council has plans to purchase compulsorily the land around the area. I ask that it receive every assistance in that regard. We must market it much better. Carlow is turning into a major tourism destination which was not the case 20 years ago. Numerous hotels have been built there. People who opt to go on short breaks and do not want to queue for hours in airports would prefer to drive for two hours to Carlow and get away from city life for a weekend. The area needs to be put on the map. If we did not have it, we would look for it and now that we have it, we do not exploit it as we should.