Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
419. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the indoor and outdoor visitor numbers to the visitor centre in the Phoenix Park in each month from May to October 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1812/23]
View answerThe Phoenix Park Visitor Centre is a major tourist attraction located in the heart of the Phoenix Park, which has in excess of one million visitor per year. The complex comprises of the award winning Victorian Kitchen Garden, the Phoenix Cafe, universal access playground, visitor centre, gallery and toilets along with extensive pleasure grounds. Major events take place on an annual basis including Bloom and the Phoenix Park Biodiversity and Honey Show.
The Visitor centre is a hub for educational events, exhibitions, information sessions and many events throughout the year. The OPW guide service lead a range of historical and ecological tours and activities for all ages including a number of educational modules suitable for the primary school curriculum. Tours are also provided to Áras an Uachtaráin, Arbour Hill Cemetery, Grangegorman Military Cemetery and the Irish National War Memorial Gardens.
The schedules attached demonstrates the periods of restrictions during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and this is reflected in the indoor visitor numbers which are compiled on a weekly basis. As the figures required, specified calendar months to the end of October, some years include the first week in November figures.
Phoenix Park Visitor Centre – Numbers of recorded visitors for May to October -2017 to 2022.
|
Outdoor Area of Phoenix Park Visitor Centre Complex |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
|
2017 |
217,348 |
202,982 |
186,878 |
165,409 |
129,521 |
118,630 |
|
2018 |
221,150 |
152,954 |
200,241 |
160,465 |
138,379 |
131,304 |
|
2019 |
126,682 |
172,957 |
231,884 |
179,065 |
133,946 |
95,244 |
|
2020 |
91,327 |
168,834 |
182,225 |
188,195 |
177,873 |
181,953 |
|
2021 |
136,793 |
123,659 |
184,956 |
187,622 |
152,876 |
155,489 |
|
2022 |
208,812 |
199,320 |
177,544 |
186,189 |
170,920 |
148,505 |
|
Indoor area of Phoenix Park Visitor Centre Only |
May |
June* |
July |
August |
September |
October |
|
2017 |
6,606 |
4,485 |
10,611 |
8,164 |
8,386 |
6,486 |
|
2018 |
6,869 |
4,765 |
15,944 |
10,185 |
10,755 |
5,581 |
|
2019 |
6,813 |
11,040 |
9,943 |
10,811 |
11,270 |
6,142 |
|
2020 |
Closed |
Closed |
2,672 |
2,738 |
836 |
13 |
|
2021 |
1200 |
2402 |
2,853 |
4,151 |
3,583 |
5,000 |
|
2022 |
6886 |
1,453 |
9,379 |
11,088 |
7,554 |
4,800 |
*The Phoenix Park Visitor Centre closes during the Bloom Festival each year to allow staff to operate an outdoor reception desk. The numbers of visitors to this outdoor reception desk are not included in the indoor area of the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre numbers.
