Written answers

Thursday, 6 February 2014

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Office of Public Works Properties

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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74. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for the historic Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park. [5753/14]

Photo of Brian HayesBrian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works (OPW) undertakes minor maintenance works at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park to protect and conserve fabric. In time, when funding allows, the Office plans to undertake works which will, at the very least, facilitate visitor access.

Photo of Anne FerrisAnne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
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75. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a breakdown of the various Office of Public Works tourism and heritage sites in Wicklow along with their corresponding footfall figures for the four quarters in 2011, 2012 and 2013; the funding that each site receives including funding allocated for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6033/14]

Photo of Brian HayesBrian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works has responsibility for 24 National Monument sites and 1 National Botanic Garden site in Co. Wicklow. A full list of these sites is provided below.

-National Monument SiteDescriptionGuide ServiceFootfall
1AghowleChurch & CrossNoNot available
2Piper's StonesStone CircleNoNot available
3Baltinglass AbbeyAbbeyNoNot available
4Crossoona RathRingfort & Ogham StoneNoNot available
5GlendaloughCathedral, Round Tower, Churches, Priory, Crosses, Ringfort, hut site & cave (St. Kevin)Yes, fulltimeSee breakdown below for years 2011 - 2013
6St. Mark's CrossHigh CrossNoNot available
7CastlerudderyMotteNoNot available
8CastlerudderyStone CircleNoNot available
9CastletimonOgham StoneNoNot available
10RathturtleRingfortNoNot available
11Dwyer-McAllister CottageHouse & Historical AssociationsNo.

Access provided during season by local Caretaker / Keyholder
1,500 approx

(estimate only)
12FassaroeCrossNoNot available
13KilcooleChurchNoNot available
14KilcroneyChurchNoNot available
15KindlestownCastleNoNot available
16LemonstownMotteNoNot available
17MoylishaWedge TombNoNot available
18Raheenaclug (Bray)ChurchNoNot available
19Baltinglass HillPassage Tomb & HillfortNoNot available
20RathgallHill FortNoNot available
21SeefinPassage TombNoNot available
22Threecastles ChurchCastleNoNot available
23Tornant LowerRingfort & BarrowsNoNot available
24DownsmillChurchNoNot available
-Non National Monument SiteDescriptionGuide ServiceFootfall
25National Botanic Garden, KimacurraghGardenYes, seasonal33,795 in 2013

See breakdown below for years 2011 - 2013

Sites without a formal Visitor / Guide service available may, in many cases, be accessed relatively freely. For example, the Dwyer Mc Allister Cottage (No 11), is opened during the summer months by a local Caretaker/Keyholder and free access provided to all visitors, though these numbers are not accurately recorded. In some cases where site ownership is in private hands for example and where the Office of Public Works acts as Guardian of the National Monument under the provisions of the relevant legislation, access may be curtailed or prohibited by landowners. I am not in a position within the time available to give a full breakdown of sites where this is the case but if the Deputy wishes to correspond with me directly in relation to that, my officials will source those details for her.

Glendalough Visitor Centre.

The iconic site of Glendalough attracts a large number of visitors to the County. This site offers a fully accessible Visitor Centre with a guide presence and provides a year round service. Not all visitors to Glendalough enter the Visitor Centre however and some choose to experience the Monastic site and its surrounds without using the formal facilities; therefore a significant proportion of the visitors to the site are not recorded and, in reality, the numbers at Glendalough are larger than indicated.

Recorded Visitor numbers to Glendalough for the years 2011 to 2013, broken down by Quarter are:

YearQtr 1Qtr 2Qtr 3Qtr 4Total
2011
6,380
27,042
37,670
9,634
80,726
2012
6,944
28,627
36,940
7,472
79,983
2013
7,782
29,347
34,904
8,889
80,922

National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh

The National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh at Kilbride is open to the public year round. Guided service is provided during the summer months. The visitor figures are recorded only for those Quarters when Guides are present onsite; estimates only are available for other periods during the year:

YearQtr 1Qtr 2Qtr 3Qtr 4Total
2011
2,500
28,325
23,175
2,500
56,500
2012
2,500
19,590
13,029
2,500
40,619
2013
2,500
15,837
12,958
2,500
33,795

National Monuments sites in the care of the OPW are not budgeted separately and costs arising are met from the funding allocated to the OPW vote.

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