Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1998

Vol. 495 No. 7

Written Answers. - Education Centres.

Enda Kenny

Question:

558 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the number of visitors for each of the past three years to the Wicklow Mountains National Park Education Centre; the cost to Dúchas of operating the centre on an annual basis; the numbers employed full-time and part-time; the marketing strategy employed to promote knowledge and information in relation to the education centre; the proposals, if any, there are in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20968/98]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

The education programme at Wicklow Mountains National Park is operated by the guide staff of the national park who are also responsible for staffing the information office in the park.

The visitor numbers for the information office and education programme for the last three full years are as follows:

	Approximate number of visitors to Information Office	Education Programme	No. of groups participating in Education Programme
1995	46,000	4,214	131
1996	47,000	3,402	102
1997	40,000	5,466	166

As the information office and education programme are run by the same staff, who also perform additional duties in the park, it is not possible, therefore, to describe accurately the total cost of running the education programme. All services were offered to the public free of charge and therefore there is no fee income against which costs can be offset.

The number employed in recent years were as follows:

1995	—	1 full time guide (12 months) 2 part time guides (total 18 months) total 30 months,
1996	—	1 full time guide (12 months) 3 part time guides (total 18 months) total 30 months,
1997	—	1 full time guide (12 months) 3 part time guides (total 21 months) total 33 months,
1998	—	1 full time guide (12 months) 4 part time guides (total 27 months) total 39 months.

The education programme is marketed by advertising in teachers' magazines such asIntouch and Tuarascáil. Mail-shots are sent occasionally to those who have used the programme in the past, informing them of the ongoing service and also of new activities in the coming year. Flyers advertising the programme were placed in ENFO in Dublin, which is visited by a large number of school groups. In addition to this, the programme is advertised in Dúchas publications which are widely available and it will soon be advertised on the Heritage Ireland Internet Site. All publicity is actively sought, including, this year, in the Irish Times Education and Living supplement on foot of which many inquiries were received.

As the education programme has expanded in recent years a cottage in Glendalough has been renovated to accommodate it. The Deputy may be interested to know that I propose to officially open the new Wicklow Mountains Education Centre on Friday next.