Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Apr 1993

Vol. 429 No. 1

Written Answers. - Burren National Park.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

61 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Finance the estimated total cost of the sewage treatment system for the proposed interpretative centre at Mullaghmore; the estimated cost of meeting all of the conditions laid down in the discharge licence issued by Clare County Council, including the cost of monitoring and analysis of effluent; if he will give details of the way in which these costs compare with those for other interpretative centres such as in Glenbeigh; and the savings, if any, which would be made on these costs if the centre were located in a village.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Dempsey)

The estimated cost of the new sewage system for the Burren National Park visitor centre is £144,000. This system has been installed.

OPW does not manage a visitor centre at Glenbeigh, County Kerry. I assume therefore the Deputy is referring to the award winning national park visitor centre at Glenveagh, County Donegal. This centre is not in a village; rather it is located at the park so that everyone and not just specialists can gain access to their heritage. The Glenveagh centre was built in the mid-eighties and a detailed cost breakdown is not available. The cost per square metre of the centre at present day values is £2,800. The Burren Centre compares very favourably with this at £1,050 per square metre.

The cost of monitoring and analysis of effluent at the Burren would be comparable to the costs at Killarney National Park where an elaborate treatment system at Muckross House is managed effectively. These costs are approximately £10,000 per annum and cover daily monitoring by Office of Public Works staff, analysis by the local authority once a week and contract maintenance. These estimates include the cost of meeting all of the conditions laid down in the discharge licence of the Burren. Office of Public Works do not have available similar costs for other centres.

There is no evidence to show that there would be any savings if the centre were located in a village. At a meeting between Clare County Council, Office of Public Works and objectors to the project last year, it was felt that the alternative proposal of a network of smaller centres in the surrounding villages could, in fact, give rise to much more expensive sewerage treatment costs given the present capacity of the existing systems in some of the villages. Furthermore, the recent proposal that an information office and car-park be located at the existing visitor centre site would necessitate the retention of the treatment system already installed at the site as sanitary facilities would have to be provided for visitors.

Finally, I am advised that the siting of the centre conforms to accepted international standards. I would urge Deputies who have not done so to visit the purpose built centre at Glenveagh to see how it operates and also to go and see the site of the centre for the Burren.