Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Mar 1993

Vol. 428 No. 1

Written Answers. - Visitor and Interpretative Centres.

Robert Molloy

Question:

155 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Finance the name and location of each visitor centre or interpretative centre currently managed by the Office of Public Works; the total construction costs in each case to date; and the annual management, maintenance and other such costs in each case for the last three years.

Robert Molloy

Question:

156 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Finance if, in respect of visitor centres or interpretative centres, he will give the name and location of each project supported by structural funds, showing the amount of the structural fund contributed to the total cost and his Department's contribution in each case; the amount spent to date in each case; and the current planning/construction status.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together. The Office of Public Works will be providing visitor and interpretative facilities at thirty nine heritage sites throughout the country in 1993.

They are as follows:

1. Kilmainham Gaol, Inchicore Road, Dublin.

2. St. Mary's Abbey, off Capel Street, Dublin.

3. Ashtown Castle Visitor Centre, Phoenix Park, Dublin.

4. Casino, Marino, off the Malahide Road, Dublin.

5. Lusk Heritage Centre, Lusk, County Dublin.

6. Glendalough Visitor Centre, Glendalough, County Wicklow.

7. Kilkenny Castle, National Historic Park, Kikenny City, County Kilkenny.

8. Jerpoint Abbey, Thomastown, County Kilkenny.

9. Dunmore Cave, Ballyfoyle, County Kilkenny.

10. Rock of Cashel, Cashel, County Tipperary.

11. Cahir Castle, Cahir, County Tipperary.

12. Swiss Cottage, Cahir, County Tipperary.

13. Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary.

14. Roscrea Heritage Centre, (Roscrea Castle and Damer House), County Tipperary.

15. Charles Fort, Kinsale, County Cork.

16. Desmond Castle, Kinsale, County Cork.

17. Ilnacullin, (Garnish Island) Glengarriff, County Cork.

18. Doneraile Wildlife Park, Doneraile, County Cork.

19. Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir (Dún Chaoin — Great Blasket Island Visitor Centre), County Kerry.

20. Derrynane House, National Historic Park, Caherdaniel, County Kerry.

21. Muckross House, Killarney National Park, County Kerry.

22. Ross Castle, Killarney, County Kerry.

23. Ennis Friary, Ennis Town, County Clare.

24. Scattery Island Information Point, Merchants Quay, Kilrush, County Clare.

25. Clonmacnois, Shannonbridge, County Offaly.

26. Aughnanure Castle, Oughterard, County Galway.

27. Connemara National Park, Letterfrack, County Galway.

28. Coole, Gort, County Galway.

29. Teach an Phiarsaigh, Ros Muc (Pearse's Cottage), County Galway.

30. Boyle Abbey, Boyle Town, County Roscommon.

31. Ceide Fields, Ballycastle, County Mayo.

32. Parke's Castle, Fivemile Bourne, County Leitrim.

33. Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, Carrowmore, Nr. Sligo Town, County Sligo.

34. Glebe House and Gallery, Church Hill, Letterkenny, County Donegal.

35. Glenveagh National Park, Churchill, Letterkenny, County Donegal.

36. Mellifont Abbey, Collon, County Louth.

37. Newgrange, Slane, County Meath.

38. Knowth, Slane, County Meath.

39. Hill of Tara, Navan, County Meath.

The majority of these visitor facilities have been developed by the Office of Public Works over the last 25 years. While a small number of centres were green field developments, the majority are housed in restored and refurbished National Monument buildings and the bulk of the moneys spent would relate to the conservation of the monument in question rather than visitor facilities. Details of costs etc. relating to projects which have received Structural Funding are set out in the attached tabular statement.

The visitor facilities and the buildings that they are housed in are managed and maintained in conjunction with the heritage site(s) or feature(s) the service and costs are met from the voted moneys for the maintenance and management of national parks, national monuments, national nature reserves, inland waterways etc. It is not possible to separate the management and maintenance costs of the centres from the overall site budgets.

The location, estimated cost, the total spent to date and the current planning construction status of projects with Structural Funds and support is as follows.

Visitor Centre	Estimated cost £m	Total spent to date £m	Present Planning/Construction Status
Coole, County Galway	1.1	1.08	Completed, opened May 1992.
Connemara National Park, County Galway (Extension)	0.375	0.419	Completed, opened June 1992.
Killarney National Park, County Kerry. (Extension)	0.90	1.152	Completed, opened February 1992.
Wicklow Mountains National Park	3.8	1.023	Work suspended.
Dromore Wood Nature Reserve, County Clare	0.07	0.033	Completed—will open to the public in May 1993.
Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, County Wexford	0.10	0.060	Due to be completed in April 1993. The site is open to the public.
The Burren National Park, County Clare.	2.7	1.267	Work suspended.
Waterways Visitor Centre, Ringsend, County Dublin	1.3	1.088	The construction of the building is completed and the interpretative material is being installed.
Ashtown Castle Visitor Centre, Phoenix Park, Dublin	2.0	1.95	Completed and opened—September 1992.
Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir, Dún Chaoin, Contae Chiarraí	3.8	2.5	Nearing completion due to open during the 1993 season.
Ceide Fields, Ballycastle, County Mayo	2.150	1.632	In progress (to be opened at end of May 1993).
Corlea Bog, Keenagh, County Longford	1.350	0.250	In progress (due for completion at end of 1993).
Scattery Island, Kilrush, County Clare	0.225	0.250	Opened in June 1992.
Clonmacnois, County Offaly	1.2	0.915	In progress (due for completion at end of May 1993).
Rathfarnham Castle, County Dublin	0.850	0.310	Tenders have been received for the third stage of restoration which on completion, will enable opening to the public.
Athenry Castle, County Galway	0.590	0.530	Restoration works will be completed this year.
Ross Castle, Killarney, County Kerry	1.200	0.895	Restoration works will be completed this year and the Castle opened to the public.
Tara, County Meath	0.250	0.150	Works to former church completed and opened to the public in 1992. Consideration being given to improvements to car park, toilets etc.
Ardfert Cathedral, County Kerry	1.2	0.750	Restoration works to the Transept will be completed this year.
Boyne Valley, County Meath	5.5	1.3	Work has been suspended pending the outcome of the Supreme Court case.

The standard level of EC funding support is 75 per cent except for the Ceide Fields Project which is receiving 60 per cent EC funding.