Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Dooley for giving me the opportunity to discuss this issue. I assure the Senator that the Government appreciates and acknowledges the strategic importance of Shannon Heritage and of the heritage sites in the mid-west region, which is a significant tourism offering, not only for the region but for the country. I am keenly aware of the devastating impact that Covid-19 has had on Shannon Heritage, given its heavy dependence on international tourists visiting the heritage sites. Early in the Covid-19 crisis, the Government implemented a range of horizontal economy-wide supports, and Shannon Heritage has rightly and appropriately benefited from these supports, including the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS. Shannon Heritage also availed of the Covid restrictions support scheme, CRSS, and the Covid adaptation grant.

The Senator will be aware that in response to the impacts of Covid-19 and also the imperative to maintain the intrinsic heritage value of the sites in the mid-west region for current and future generations, Shannon Group is continuing to engage with the relevant local authorities in regard to the transfer of the Shannon Heritage business and key sites. Shannon Group considers that this is the best way to secure the longer-term viability of the business and the interests of Shannon Heritage employees. Due to the complexities involved in the transfer, due diligence exercises must be concluded by the local authorities involved. Once the due diligence work is complete and the final business transfer agreements signed, Shannon Group will be in a position to seek the formal consent of the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to execute the transfer of the business and the relevant heritage sites, and this will be done with the agreement of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

I can also advise the Senator that OPW has agreed to re-engage on its maintenance responsibilities in regard to the conservation and maintenance role at Bunratty Castle and King John's Castle. In preparation for undertaking this role, the OPW has been carrying out the necessary assessments of both buildings to inform the programme of works needed and the associated costs. I am continuing to engage with the OPW in this regard.

Before any possible transfer is executed, it remains the responsibility of Shannon Group to operate and manage the Shannon Heritage business in line with its commercial mandate and fiduciary best practice, and with awareness of the group's accountability for the proper management of the company. While Shannon Group was due to close Bunratty and King John's Castle in September 2021 for the winter season, the continuation of Government supports through the extension of the EWSS has meant that Shannon Group was able to revise its decision and keep the sites open for the remainder of 2021 and into this spring, although with reduced opening hours. I understand that Bunratty and King John's Castle are currently open on a four-day week basis until March 2022, and I am pleased to advise the Senator that it is envisaged that the sites will reopen fully in April.

Despite the ongoing impact of Covid-19, I am happy to inform the Senator there were some positive developments in regard to Shannon Heritage last year. Almost 500,000 visitors visited the Shannon Heritage sites in 2021, which represented a 64.2% increase on 2020 visitor numbers and was 17.5% higher than the visitor numbers forecast by Shannon Group for last year.This reflects a strong performance in the second half of the year following the site closures due to the nationwide restrictions in the earlier part of 2021. I am confident that we are at a turning point and that we will see a further increase in visitors to our tourism sites this year, which is to be welcomed as a positive development.

I want to reassure the Senator that our heritage sites are of huge importance to this Government. We need to do everything we can to ensure they and their employees have a viable future.