Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects the transfer of managerial responsibility for Shannon Heritage properties in County Clare to transfer from the Shannon Airport Group to Clare County Council; the Government funding that will be made available to make this transfer a success; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55642/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for this question.

As the Deputy is aware, the Shannon Airport Group informed the Department in Summer 2020 that it was necessary to consider a comprehensive and radical adjustment to its structure to secure the long-term future of the Shannon Heritage business and its employees. Government noted, inter alia, the intention of the Group to explore the potential to transfer the business of key heritage sites, where appropriate, to the relevant local authority, which was considered the most achievable option to secure the future of the heritage assets and employees.

As a result of its extensive engagement with the relevant local authorities since early last year, Shannon Heritage ended its management contracts with An Post and Fingal County Council for sites in Dublin on 31 December 2021 and the transfer of the business and employees took place without issue. King John’s Castle was successfully transferred to Limerick City and County Council on 4 April. I would like to acknowledge the extensive preparation and cooperation between the Shannon Airport Group and Fingal County Council, Limerick County Council and An Post for the smooth transfer of these sites.

I can advise the Deputy that the Shannon Airport Group continues to work with Clare County Council in relation to the proposed transfer of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Craggaunowen, Knappogue Castle, and Cliffs of Moher Retail Outlet.

The Department is engaging regularly with both parties with a view to progressing the transfer preparations. As part of its engagement with the Shannon Airport Group, Clare County Council identified a funding gap for which it sought government assistance to enable it to take over the sites. In response to this, my Department established an inter-departmental working group to consider how the transfer could be supported across Government, as the Department of Transport itself has no mechanism to fund financial support to Shannon Heritage or the local authorities.

The group included the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the OPW, and the Department of Tourism Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.

To date, the working group has met four times, most recently on 13 October, and have identified a number of ways the transfer could be supported. My department is continuing to engage with relevant departments across Government and with the Shannon Airport Group, with the aim of facilitating the transfer as soon as possible.

My Department has also met with Clare County Council and the Shannon Airport Group and has asked both to continue their engagement and consider the package of measures identified by the inter-departmental working group, with a view to reaching agreement on a transfer.

Once the remaining issues around the transfer are resolved, the Shannon Airport Group will be in a position to seek the formal consent of the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to execute the transfer of the Shannon Heritage business and the relevant heritage sites and this will be done with the agreement of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

I would like to assure the Deputy that Government recognises the importance of these heritage sites to the mid-west region, and believe that the transfer of the Shannon Heritage business and heritage sites as planned will safeguard the interests of Shannon Heritage employees and the long-term viability and success of the business. Government will continue to support the Shannon Airport Group to ensure that the transfer of the Shannon Heritage business and heritage sites will proceed as planned as soon as possible.