Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on criticism of a professor (details supplied) on the way Departments neglect and under utilise the tourism potential of some of our most important heritage sites. [22230/11]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the criticism of a professor (details supplied) on the way that Government Departments neglect and under utilise the tourism potential of some of our most important heritage sites and if it tallies with the experience of those who have campaigned for the enhancement of facilities at Grianán of Aileach stone fort in County Donegal with its history comparable in importance with the Hill of Tara. [22231/11]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 262 and 263 together.

Since taking up office as Minister with responsibility for the Office of Public Works I have been addressing, in a pro-active manner, the potential for the further development and enhancement of tourism using our national heritage sites and monuments. To date I have visited a large number of heritage sites and I will continue to travel around the country to visit other sites and to hold discussions with local groups and communities who are interested in the development of tourism using our national wealth of built heritage.

I have recently instructed my officials to produce proposals that will allow local organisations, working in partnership with the OPW, to help to transform tourism potential in their area by working in partnership with the OPW in the presentation of these sites. There will always be public liability, health and safety and industrial relations issues attached to decisions like this but we can address these and work towards providing solutions to these challenges in order to make progress. I have invited community groups to submit proposals on the future development and use of heritage sites and we will evaluate those proposals as I am looking to set up a number of pilot projects to work in partnership with the OPW in the presentation of heritage sites.

Referring specifically to the Monasterboice site: a conservation study was commissioned jointly by Louth County Council, the Office of Public Works and the National Monuments Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The recommendations suggested by this study will be considered by a group consisting of Louth County Council, the National Monuments service of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Office of Public Works. We are now moving towards the implementation of these recommendations and the process of setting up an implementation group has already commenced. There is a need to view this site in a holistic manner, which includes signage with all the stakeholders included in the process.

In relation to the Grianán in Aileach stone fort; there has been a history of collapses to different sections of the wall at the fort dating back to at least the 1800's. and the OPW workforce has undertaken re-instatement works on a number of occasions as a result.

There is an ongoing program of conservation and preservation at this site and right through the process of consolidating the monument, the OPW has ensured that the site remained open to all tourists. There is a joint access arrangement with Donegal County Council with regard to the car park at the site, which is under their care, and there has always been a good working arrangement between OPW, the Local Authority and also the local Community.