Question:
96 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Finance the historic sites under the management of his Department that are open to the public.
Written Answers. - Historic Sites.
The Office of Public Works will have thirty five National Monument sites open to the public with visitor services in 1994. Five of these will be open to the public for the first time — Ardfert Cathedral, Corlea Bog, Rathfarnham Castle, Athenry Castle and Portumna Castle.
The Office of Public Works will also be providing visitor services at 11 of the National Historic Parks, gardens and other historic properties under its care. These include the new Visitor Centre at Ashtown Castle in the Phoenix Park, Kilkenny Castle and Derrynane National Historic Park as well as Castletown House in Celbridge which came under the ambit of the Office of Public Works in January this year.
The Office of Public Works has a caretaker arrangement for a further 125 national monuments throughout the country. In these cases visitors can get the keys of the monument from the caretaker. There are of course many more national monuments and historic sites with open access for visitors but which do not have a formal visitor service or caretaker arrangement.
The Deputy may also wish to note that the Office of Public Works provides visitor facilities at four National Parks and at some of the nature reserves under its management.
I will supply the Deputy with a full schedule of sites with visitor facilities.