Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----and from the then Minister, Jimmy Deenihan. I put the pressure on Fáilte Ireland to make sure that €5.2 million was provided, with my present Department providing the remainder.

To date, my Department has spent €1.9 million, while over €4.2 million of the Fáilte Ireland provision has been drawn down. My Department has been collaborating with Fáilte Ireland in its role as the National Tourism Development Authority and as the co-funder of Killarney House and Gardens, and the Office of Public Works, which has acted as the project manager for the refurbishment.

The house will act as the visitor and interpretative centre for Killarney National Park. The interpretative exhibition will highlight the beauty and significance of the park's landscape, habitats, flora and fauna as well as telling the story of how local people have interacted with the park over the centuries.

Within that context, the exhibition will also address the history of the house and its former owners, the Brownes, and later, the McShains.Within this context, the exhibition will also address the history of the House and its former owners, the Brownes, and later, the McShains.

The location of Killarney House, in the middle of the town, means it will be a hugely valuable tourism asset. It will provide a vital link between the town centre and the park. The new landscaped gardens at Killarney House will lead into the natural areas of the park and will provide a wonderful view linking the town to the scenery of mountain, wood and water. The availability of a focal point for the park within walking distance of the town will bring wider recognition to the park which is, of course, incredibly popular. Many visitors, even short-stay visitors, wander around the town environs in the evening, especially during summer.

The refurbished Killarney House in its historic setting and functioning as a national park visitor centre will provide an added attraction to visitors and an excellent opportunity to explain the significance and importance of the park to the south-west region. The refurbishment of the house and the gardens is one of the most significant developments for the local tourism sector in years. The final phase of works to Killarney House began in early January 2014. These works, overseen by the Office of Public Works, OPW, included a new extension for the exhibition space and visitor centre, and this is substantially complete. The work on the interpretative centre, which will be installed in Killarney House, is continuing. The OPW has also overseen the completion of much of the landscaping of the grounds and ornamental gardens.

The final phase of the work on the gardens will be completed by mid-August. This phase involves the planting of the central formal garden, the provision of seating, and the installation of potted plants in a number of locations. The gardens have been open to the public at weekends since April 2016, and will be open to the public on a daily basis from 10 July this year. The gardens have proved popular, with an estimated 70,000 visitors over the past three months. I expect the House and interpretative exhibition to open to the public in early 2017.

Finally, I turn to the future governance and administration of Killarney House. My Department has, with assistance from Fáilte Ireland, commissioned an operational study to examine the future of Killarney House. My Department is examining a draft of this study which will inform our thinking on the future governance of the house and gardens.

I know the house, Muckross House and the area well and this will be a major tourist attraction for the town of Killarney. I hope I have addressed the Senator's queries.