Vol. 489 No. 6
567 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if her Department will inspect the site of Jerpoint Abbey, Thomastown, County Kilkenny with a view to providing floodlights for the abbey; the role, if any, her Department and the local community can play in a project of this kind; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8762/98]
Jerpoint Abbey is considered by Dúchas the Heritage Service of my Department, to be a site which would be enhanced by the installation of floodlighting.
However, Dúchas is not in a position to meet the costs of this work as its limited resources are fully committed to the conservation and maintenance of those national monuments which are in its ownership and guardianship. Nonetheless, floodlights of an approved specification and layout could be installed at Jerpoint Abbey if sponsorship is found by the local community to meet the installation costs and the ongoing electricity costs. This is in accordance with the general policy which is currently in operation in relation to this matter. I intend, however, to review that policy.
