Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 February 2014
75. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a breakdown of the various Office of Public Works tourism and heritage sites in Wicklow along with their corresponding footfall figures for the four quarters in 2011, 2012 and 2013; the funding that each site receives including funding allocated for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6033/14]
View answerThe Office of Public Works has responsibility for 24 National Monument sites and 1 National Botanic Garden site in Co. Wicklow. A full list of these sites is provided below.
|
- |
National Monument Site |
Description |
Guide Service |
Footfall |
|
1 |
Aghowle |
Church & Cross |
No |
Not available |
|
2 |
Piper's Stones |
Stone Circle |
No |
Not available |
|
3 |
Baltinglass Abbey |
Abbey |
No |
Not available |
|
4 |
Crossoona Rath |
Ringfort & Ogham Stone |
No |
Not available |
|
5 |
Glendalough |
Cathedral, Round Tower, Churches, Priory, Crosses, Ringfort, hut site & cave (St. Kevin) |
Yes, fulltime |
See breakdown below for years 2011 - 2013 |
|
6 |
St. Mark's Cross |
High Cross |
No |
Not available |
|
7 |
Castleruddery |
Motte |
No |
Not available |
|
8 |
Castleruddery |
Stone Circle |
No |
Not available |
|
9 |
Castletimon |
Ogham Stone |
No |
Not available |
|
10 |
Rathturtle |
Ringfort |
No |
Not available |
|
11 |
Dwyer-McAllister Cottage |
House & Historical Associations |
No. Access provided during season by local Caretaker / Keyholder |
1,500 approx (estimate only) |
|
12 |
Fassaroe |
Cross |
No |
Not available |
|
13 |
Kilcoole |
Church |
No |
Not available |
|
14 |
Kilcroney |
Church |
No |
Not available |
|
15 |
Kindlestown |
Castle |
No |
Not available |
|
16 |
Lemonstown |
Motte |
No |
Not available |
|
17 |
Moylisha |
Wedge Tomb |
No |
Not available |
|
18 |
Raheenaclug (Bray) |
Church |
No |
Not available |
|
19 |
Baltinglass Hill |
Passage Tomb & Hillfort |
No |
Not available |
|
20 |
Rathgall |
Hill Fort |
No |
Not available |
|
21 |
Seefin |
Passage Tomb |
No |
Not available |
|
22 |
Threecastles Church |
Castle |
No |
Not available |
|
23 |
Tornant Lower |
Ringfort & Barrows |
No |
Not available |
|
24 |
Downsmill |
Church |
No |
Not available |
|
- |
Non National Monument Site |
Description |
Guide Service |
Footfall |
|
25 |
National Botanic Garden, Kimacurragh |
Garden |
Yes, seasonal |
33,795 in 2013 See breakdown below for years 2011 - 2013 |
Sites without a formal Visitor / Guide service available may, in many cases, be accessed relatively freely. For example, the Dwyer Mc Allister Cottage (No 11), is opened during the summer months by a local Caretaker/Keyholder and free access provided to all visitors, though these numbers are not accurately recorded. In some cases where site ownership is in private hands for example and where the Office of Public Works acts as Guardian of the National Monument under the provisions of the relevant legislation, access may be curtailed or prohibited by landowners. I am not in a position within the time available to give a full breakdown of sites where this is the case but if the Deputy wishes to correspond with me directly in relation to that, my officials will source those details for her.
Glendalough Visitor Centre.
The iconic site of Glendalough attracts a large number of visitors to the County. This site offers a fully accessible Visitor Centre with a guide presence and provides a year round service. Not all visitors to Glendalough enter the Visitor Centre however and some choose to experience the Monastic site and its surrounds without using the formal facilities; therefore a significant proportion of the visitors to the site are not recorded and, in reality, the numbers at Glendalough are larger than indicated.
Recorded Visitor numbers to Glendalough for the years 2011 to 2013, broken down by Quarter are:
|
Year |
Qtr 1 |
Qtr 2 |
Qtr 3 |
Qtr 4 |
Total |
|
2011 |
6,380 |
27,042 |
37,670 |
9,634 |
80,726 |
|
2012 |
6,944 |
28,627 |
36,940 |
7,472 |
79,983 |
|
2013 |
7,782 |
29,347 |
34,904 |
8,889 |
80,922 |
National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh
The National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh at Kilbride is open to the public year round. Guided service is provided during the summer months. The visitor figures are recorded only for those Quarters when Guides are present onsite; estimates only are available for other periods during the year:
|
Year |
Qtr 1 |
Qtr 2 |
Qtr 3 |
Qtr 4 |
Total |
|
2011 |
2,500 |
28,325 |
23,175 |
2,500 |
56,500 |
|
2012 |
2,500 |
19,590 |
13,029 |
2,500 |
40,619 |
|
2013 |
2,500 |
15,837 |
12,958 |
2,500 |
33,795 |
National Monuments sites in the care of the OPW are not budgeted separately and costs arising are met from the funding allocated to the OPW vote.
