Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 May 2022
227. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will review the absence of electronic payment at some OPW sites nationwide; the number of such locations; when electronic payment will be installed; the income received from each OPW location per-annum for the past three years; if he will consider free admissions in the future to encourage more visitors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25534/22]
View answerThe OPW is committed to providing card payment facilities at all sites with an admission charge, however, there are instances where poor connectivity and/or features of the site’s infrastructure render the provision of such facilities more complex. Currently there are seven such sites where work remains ongoing in terms of finding appropriate technological solutions that will enable card payments. It is anticipated that such facilities should become available at all of these sites during the course of 2022.
In line with the Government’s Covid-19 recovery plan, and in support of the national tourism recovery agenda, the OPW waived all admission charges in 2021. In 2020, most admission charges were waived or reduced.
The OPW operates a range of free entry initiatives such as free educational visits and free entry for children under twelve, for people with disabilities and their carers, and free access to many sites on the first Wednesday of each month. These initiatives enhance the accessibility and inclusiveness of the heritage sites in its care and all OPW-managed parks and gardens that are freely accessible to Irish residents continue to offer significant amenity value to residents and tourists alike.
The table below details the income from ticketed admissions and heritage card sales at OPW heritage sites in 2019 and 2020. (It should be noted that for 2020, the admissions recorded relate to the period 01/01/20-15/3/20 after which point sites were closed in line with Covid19 guidelines and admission fees were waived when sites reopened that year.) Similarly, admission charges were not applied in 2021.
|
Site Name |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Altamount |
€2,187 |
€885 |
|
Ardfert Cathedral |
€15,281 |
Free admission |
|
Askeaton Castle |
Not applicable |
Free admission |
|
Athenry Castle |
€21,526 |
Free admission |
|
Aughnanure Castle |
€101,042 |
Free admission |
|
Ballyhack Castle |
Free admission |
Not applicable |
|
Battle of the Boyne |
€101,232 |
€5,128 |
|
Blasket Centre |
€138,312 |
€8,928 |
|
Boyle Abbey |
€18,155 |
Free admission |
|
Bru na Boinne |
€575 |
€77,311 |
|
Newgrange |
€53,479 |
€44,503 |
|
Knowth |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Bryce House - Garinish Island |
Free admission |
Not applicable |
|
Cahir Castle |
€273,621 |
€10,676 |
|
Carrowmore |
€119,389 |
€84 |
|
Casino Marino |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Castletown Experiences |
€12,146 |
€735 |
|
Castletown House |
€76,002 |
€3,884 |
|
Céide Fields |
€87,042 |
€316 |
|
Charles Fort |
€315,291 |
€17,951 |
|
Clonmacnoise |
€766,486 |
€47,754 |
|
Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Derrynane House |
€68,952 |
€21,059 |
|
Desmond Hall |
€130 |
Free admission |
|
Donegal Castle |
€160,280 |
€3,291 |
|
Doneraile Estate |
€40,550 |
€6,926 |
|
Dublin Castle |
€2,680,309 |
€359,726 |
|
Dún Aonghasa |
€361,267 |
€6,751 |
|
Dungarvan Castle |
€350 |
Free admission |
|
Dunmore Cave |
€87,563 |
€7,289 |
|
Emo Court |
€24,648 |
Not applicable |
|
Ennis Friary |
€41,100 |
Free admission |
|
Farmleigh |
€63,474 |
€1,007 |
|
Ferns Castle |
€120 |
Not applicable |
|
French Church |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Garinish Island |
€229,619 |
€53,675 |
|
Glebe House and Gallery |
€13,329 |
Free admission |
|
Glendalough Visitor Centre |
€247,669 |
€8,288 |
|
Hill of Tara |
€26,234 |
Free admission |
|
J F Kennedy Arboretum |
€94,812 |
€16,729 |
|
Jerpoint Abbey |
€84,499 |
€1,601 |
|
Kells Priory |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Kilkenny Castle |
€1,601,489 |
€284,610 |
|
Kilmainham Gaol |
€2,115,152 |
€292,544 |
|
Listowel |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Loughcrew |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Main Guard |
€230 |
Free admission |
|
Maynooth Castle |
€490 |
Not applicable |
|
Mellifont Abbey |
€9,308 |
Free admission |
|
National Botanic Gardens |
€23,315 |
€3,290 |
|
Newmills Corn and Flax Mills |
€180 |
Free admission |
|
Ormond Castle |
€13,337 |
Free admission |
|
Parke's Castle |
€45,613 |
Free admission |
|
Pearse Museum |
€990 |
€30 |
|
Pearse's Cottage |
€29,738 |
€927 |
|
Phoenix Park Visitor Centre |
€2,120 |
€150 |
|
Portumna Castle |
€45,905 |
Free admission |
|
Rathfarnham Castle |
€8,634 |
€1,206 |
|
Reginald's Tower |
€55,462 |
Free admission |
|
Rock of Cashel |
€1,995,528 |
€101,114 |
|
Roscrea Heritage |
€6,163 |
Free admission |
|
Ross Castle |
€139,824 |
€2,068 |
|
Scattery Island |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Skellig Michael |
Free admission |
Free admission |
|
Sligo Abbey |
€56,722 |
Not applicable |
|
St. Audoen's Church |
€610 |
Not applicable |
|
St. Mary's Church, Gowran |
€60 |
Not applicable |
|
Swiss Cottage |
€58,221 |
Not applicable |
|
Tintern Abbey |
€58,751 |
Free admission |
|
Trim Castle |
€227,879 |
€12,412 |
|
Total |
€12,822,391 |
€1,402,848 |
