Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Healy Eames. The Minster of State will be aware of the 150th anniversary celebrations and will know that we gave a commitment to the Taoiseach, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport that this would be a nationwide endeavour. People visiting from other places in the world do not care about the border between Galway and Sligo. They just want to go and see the places associated with Yeats. I support this request for Thoor Ballylee to be given into the care of the community for the year in order that we can open it in 2015 and allow people to come and enjoy the place as a beautiful place in its own right and as part of the Yeats story. In so doing, as well as raising the funding, the profile of the site will be raised and the tower will be restored for the nation and the world.