Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. The Minister of State, Deputy McGinley, has apologised for his inability to be here today due to other commitments. I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on behalf of the Minister of State about the development of Teach an Phiarsaigh in Ros Muc. I express my gratitude and that of the Minister of State to the Members of the House for the interest they have shown in this matter. I hope we will have a constructive debate on the various efforts that are being made to develop an interpretative centre at Teach an Phiarsaigh in Ros Muc. As all Senators are aware, Pádraig Pearse spent many summers in Ros Muc. Visitors to the existing Teach an Phiarsaigh are given an insight into the extraordinary life of Pearse as a revolutionary. They also gain an insight into other aspects of Pearse's life as an educator, as a writer and especially as a passionate Irish language activist.

I understand there have been various discussions in recent years on the possibility of developing a visitor centre at the site of Teach an Phiarsaigh. Following discussions between the various stakeholders, including the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Office of Public Works and Údarás na Gaeltachta, it was agreed that a modern heritage visitor centre should be developed in close proximity to the existing cottage. A group consisting of representatives of the Office of Public Works and Údarás na Gaeltachta has been established to take the initiative forward. The purpose of this collaboration is to source funding for the development, oversee the construction and make the necessary arrangements for the management of the centre upon its completion. I understand the group has brought the project to the pre-planning stage, which includes the completion of specifications for the proposed building and its subsequent fittings.

The project encompasses various facilities, including a newly built visitor centre, an interpretative trail and the historic cottage itself. It is intended that the centre will be a cultural focal point in Connemara for national and international tourists and will greatly improve tourist facilities in the region. The centre will give tourists an insight into the importance of the Irish language for the nation, based on Pearse's vision. It will also focus on the cultural importance of the Gaeltacht and the surrounding landscape of Connemara as a source of our heritage.

The current location of Teach an Phiarsaigh in the Connemara Gaeltacht, which is one of the strongest Gaeltacht areas in terms of spoken Irish, gives the tourist an opportunity to experience our native language and our heritage, which are as central to our identity today as they were during Pearse's time. The diversity of Pádraig Pearse's life creates many opportunities for those involved with the project to develop the centre based on various themes, including the theme of Pádraig Pearse as a creative and political writer, a revolutionary and an Irish language activist. In addition, wider themes relating to the Irish language, the culture of the Gaeltacht and the history of Ros Muc and Connemara will be covered at the centre. This development will undoubtedly create valuable opportunities for the Ros Muc community and the region as a whole. It has the potential to generate significantly increased tourism for the region, especially in terms of cultural tourism.

I understand that considerable progress has been made to date with the development of the centre. An application to fund the project is with Fáilte Ireland. I understand it will go before the board of that organisation in the coming weeks. If the project successfully obtains funding under Fáilte Ireland's capital funding programme, the process of obtaining matching funding will commence immediately. Subject to funding being made available for the project, a compulsory purchase order and a planning submission would be required. This process could take up to 18 months. Construction work would take a further 15 months.

Teach an Phiarsaigh is recognised by Fáilte Ireland as one of the main elements of the Connemara destination plan, the wild Atlantic way and the Connemara driving route. It is an important element of the organisation's strategy for developing the tourism sector and increasing tourist numbers in Connemara. It dovetails with the commitment in the programme for Government to develop ways of commemorating the 1916 Rising. The cost of the project has been estimated at ¤4 million. Equally, it is estimated that the centre could generate income of up to ¤4 million per annum, based on a projected 60,000 visitors.

In addition, it is estimated that foreign visitors could spend between ¤1.4 million and ¤2.3 million annually in Ireland as a result of the development. I congratulate the various stakeholders on the progress made to date in bringing this project this far and wish them well in their efforts to put funding in place to make the centre a reality.