Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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78. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount the OPW has paid a private firm to maintain the gate at Grianan of Aileach Fort, County Donegal. [29222/20]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The services in question relate to the need to secure the Grianán an Aileach site in the context of the special opening arrangements arising following the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions during the summer months. Owing to the prevalance of antisocial behaviour at this location in the past, including verbal and physical abuse of OPW caretaker staff, the services of a private security firm have been employed to service closing arrangements in particular at this time.

These services are provided to the Office of Public Works' National Monuments Depot in Dromahair by the firm in question on a regional basis within the North West for an area stretching from Mayo to Donegal. The costs of the specific services provided at Grianán an Aileach will be abstracted from the overall total and will be conveyed separately to the Deputy by my office.