Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)

Today I want to raise the issue of Glenveagh National Park. We have a wonderful tourist attraction in Glenveagh Castle, located in Glenveagh National Park. We are now at the peak of the season but, unfortunately, the castle itself cannot accommodate visitors on Fridays and Mondays due to staff shortages. Approximately 200,000 people visit the castle every year and it is a vital part of the tourism plan for the national park. The problem is a lack of staff. We need more staff and this has been going on for the last eight months. It is a serious issue. The staff there are working diligently under challenging circumstances and are really keeping the park going. This issue first arose last September and nothing has been done. We really need the Minister to try to get a handle on this. In Donegal, we are so proud of Glenveagh National Park. The castle should be open on Mondays and Fridays. It is an essential part of Donegal tourism and anything we can get to Donegal we are more than happy with. We are very proud of it.