Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2023
134. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the level of engagement his Department has had with Clare County Council to manage additional heritage sites; the amount of additional expenditure involved for his Department; when he expects this process to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3612/23]
View answerThe Minister for Transport, and his Department, as the parent Department of the Shannon Group, have the lead role in the transfer of heritage sites from Shannon Group to relevant local authorities. In order to secure the future of the heritage assets and employees, Shannon Group has had extensive engagement with the relevant local authorities since early 2021. Shannon Heritage ended their management contracts with An Post and Fingal County Council for sites in Dublin on 31 December 2021 and the transfer of the business and employees took place without issue. King John’s Castle was successfully transferred to Limerick City and County Council on 4 April 2022.
Shannon Group continues to engage with Clare County Council in relation to the proposed transfer of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Craggaunowen, Knappogue Castle, and the Cliffs of Moher Retail Outlet. As part of its engagement with Shannon Group, Clare County Council identified a funding gap for which it sought Government assistance to enable it to take over the sites. The funding gap identified by Clare County Council is €15m (€5m a year for 3 years).
The Department of Transport established an inter-departmental working group in May 2022 to examine funding options in relation to the proposed transfer to Clare County Council of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Craggaunowen, Knappogue Castle, and Cliffs of Moher Retail Outlet. My Department actively participates in the working group along with the Departments of Transport; Public Expenditure and Reform; Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media; and the Office of Public Works. The working group has met a number of times, most recently on 23 January, and the group identified a number of ways the proposed transfer could be supported.
My Department has met officials from Clare County Council on a number of occasions over the past 15 months in relation to the proposed transfer. At these meetings my Department recognised the current financial environment in which local authorities are operating, and the pressures facing them in respect of general inflation and higher energy costs in particular. These challenges are common across the sector and my Department highlighted its wider responsibility to ensure that all local authorities can continue to deliver services, whilst managing limited resources.
It was also noted that Clare County Council were in receipt of support from the Local Government Fund of almost €3m in 2021 and 2022 to compensate for loss of commercial rates at Money Point Power Plant and that my Department would seek similar support for Clare County Council for 2023. Across all schemes and funding sources my Department provided €65.9m in 2020, €82.9m in 2021 and €24m to end August 2022 to Clare County Council. Included in this is the unprecedented level of support provided by central Government to local authorities in respect of the COVID -19 pandemic.
My Department has liaised with Clare County Council regarding the potential for some support from the Local Government Fund in 2022, however the transfer did not take place in time for this to be paid. Equally, subject to submission of a suitable proposal and costings, funding towards National Monuments Service approved conservation works at Bunratty Castle could be considered by the Heritage Division of my Department. My Department will continue to engage with the inter-departmental working group and Clare County Council to support progress in the transfer of the remaining Shannon Heritage sites to Clare County Council in 2023.
