Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2016
564. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of visitors to each of the 780 national monuments that are open to visitors managed by the OPW for the most recent year available and to provide a breakdown of the list by visits to each site. [13465/16]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the day-to-day running of all National Monuments and National Historic Properties (i.e. those in State ownership or guardianship). It has a conservation remit to maintain the National Monuments in State care and an active role in facilitating presentation and public access under the terms of the National Monuments Act 1930 which makes provision for the protection and preservation of National Monuments including the admission of the public to National Monuments.
The approach of the OPW Heritage Services is essentially conservation oriented with the bulk of resources dedicated to this end. The vast majority of properties in State care are presented to the public without specific visitor facilities such as a guide service. Public access to heritage attractions has a high priority and much effort has been made to improve access and information at all built heritage sites.
There are a total of almost 1,000 individual National Monuments in State care at approximately 768 locations around the country. These are managed and maintained by the OPW and include both sites which are in full State ownership and others which are privately-owned but where Guardianship arrangements exist and where the OPW provides maintenance services. A small number of sites have National Monuments which are State owned and others which are privately held at the same location.
As a general policy, the OPW facilitates visitor access to as many National Monument sites as possible. However, access is not always feasible because of a range of issues including physical location, risks associated with dangerous structures and restrictions imposed in some cases by landowners who may wish to limit access, either temporarily or more longer term, by reason of accident risk, livestock etc. The OPW would estimate that approximately 10% of the National Monument sites in its care are not accessible at any given time.
As part of its remit, the OPW also provides enhanced visitor access, together with guide facilities in some cases, at approx. 70 of the more prominent visitor locations nationally. These include many of the most iconic heritage sites in the country such as Kilmainham Gaol, the Rock of Cashel, Newgrange etc as well as a number of smaller, less well known properties. In general visitor numbers are only recorded at those sites where there is a guide service. However, there are a small number of sites where footfall counters have been installed. The following table shows all visitor numbers available for 2015.
2015 Visitor Numbers
|
Site Name |
Total |
|
- |
- |
|
Altamont |
58,435 |
|
Arás |
4,343 |
|
Ardfert Cathedral |
7,802 |
|
Athenry Castle |
10,848 |
|
Aughnanure Castle |
36,929 |
|
Ballyhack Castle |
2,613 |
|
Battle of the Boyne/ Oldbridge Estate |
58,053 |
|
Blasket Centre |
48,261 |
|
Boyle Abbey |
6,919 |
|
Brú na Bóinne |
44,705 |
|
Newgrange |
150,125 |
|
Knowth |
69,057 |
|
Cahir Castle |
68,532 |
|
Carrowmore |
37,566 |
|
Casino Marino |
18,141 |
|
Castletown House & Parklands |
297,691 |
|
Céide Fields |
32,821 |
|
Charles Fort |
86,849 |
|
Clonmacnoise |
157,660 |
|
Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre |
5,331 |
|
Derrynane House |
26,961 |
|
Desmond Castle |
9,493 |
|
Desmond Hall |
11,150 |
|
Donegal Castle |
47,136 |
|
Dublin Castle |
231,178 |
|
Dún Aonghasa |
120,104 |
|
Dungarvan Castle |
17,280 |
|
Dunmore Cave |
43,767 |
|
Durrow Abbey* |
5,264 |
|
Emo Court |
13,244 |
|
Ennis Friary |
11,377 |
|
Famine War House* |
2,825 |
|
Farmleigh Estate |
410,076 |
|
Ferns Castle |
9,440 |
|
Gallarus Castle |
51,816 |
|
Garinish Island |
58,557 |
|
Glebe House and Gallery |
23,085 |
|
Glendalough Visitor Centre |
79,182 |
|
Grianan of Aileach* |
107,968 |
|
Hill of Tara* |
159,686 |
|
J F Kennedy Arboretum |
96,910 |
|
Jerpoint Abbey |
23,442 |
|
Kilkenny Castle |
282,588 |
|
Kilmacurragh Gardens |
67,083 |
|
Kilmainham Gaol |
326,635 |
|
Listowel |
8,110 |
|
Loughcrew |
14,416 |
|
Main Guard |
7,951 |
|
Maynooth Castle |
21,843 |
|
Mellifont Abbey |
12,493 |
|
National Botanic Gardens |
553,348 |
|
Newmills Corn and Flax Mills |
4,173 |
|
Parke's Castle |
16,620 |
|
Pearse Museum |
35,418 |
|
Pearse's Cottage |
8,946 |
|
Phoenix Park Visitor Centre |
141,582 |
|
Portumna Castle |
14,237 |
|
Rathfarnham Castle |
3,737 |
|
Reginald's Tower |
30,818 |
|
Reginald's Tower - French Church |
3,212 |
|
Rock of Cashel |
300,749 |
|
Roscrea Heritage |
25,715 |
|
Ross Castle |
95,785 |
|
Scattery Island |
1,750 |
|
Skellig Michael |
12,560 |
|
Sligo Abbey |
15,592 |
|
St. Audoen's Church |
33,092 |
|
St. Mary's Church, Gowran |
2,634 |
|
Swiss Cottage |
24,146 |
|
Tintern Abbey |
15,227 |
|
Trim Castle |
86,972 |
|
- |
- |
|
* New passive footfall counter installed |
- |
