Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As I told the house the then Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, in 2012 introduced the Community Involvement Initiative and, through public advertisement and publicity, sought applications from interested groups to participate.

The OPW is responsible for the management and presentation of a large number of National Monuments in State care and some of these locations are among the best-known visitor destinations in the country. However, there are also a considerable number of sites where it is not possible to maintain a Guide service to present sites to visitors and it is in these cases where the Initiative sought to improve the position.

While the initial response to the Initiative was quite strong, with approx 100 groups applying, it was also apparent that there was a great deal of work involved in making sure that groups understand what is involved and the challenges posed in managing visitor sites. The OPW worked directly with approx 30 of the initial applicants to refine their proposals and to prepare them for the challenge. Contact is still maintained in many of these cases.

The Initiative was re-branded as the “Friends of Irish Heritage” in 2013 and again advertised. This did not result in any new substantial projects.

It is apparent from the experience to date that, while many local partners are prepared to engage with the project in its initial stage, and indeed a number of successful projects resulted, the commitment involved in bringing a project to fruition and to encouraging the development of a broadly-based movement of volunteer guide groups all around the country is a project that requires more work and a long term sustained commitment.

The OPW does not apply a universally generic approach to this issue and remains very open to suggestions about partnering with local communities in a variety of ways. It is aware that, in many instances, it was the intervention and continuing contribution of these local communities that contributed significantly to the preservation of many of our Monuments. The tourism sector continues to be one of the main drivers behind Ireland's economic recovery and I am pleased that the OPW continues to engage in partnering with local communities and heritage groups to develop local tourism initiatives.