I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 to 301, inclusive, together.
The visitor admissions in 2017 at staffed (ie: Guided) sites in Co. Donegal operated by the Office of Public Works were as follows:
Site Name
|
Admissions 2017*
|
Donegal Castle
|
55,166
|
Glebe House & Gallery
|
27,998
|
Newmills Corn & Flax Mills
|
3,258
|
*These are provisional figures and are subject to confirmatory audit.
Funding for the upkeep of Heritage estate in State care is provided through the Vote of the Office of Public Works, and OPW maintains in excess of 1,000 structures on approx. 780 sites nationwide. 70 of these locations are open as visitor attractions on either a fulltime or seasonal basis and a considerable number of the remainder are available as open sites where the public can freely visit but where specific visitor facilities are not in place. Funds within the Vote are not generally allocated on a County basis but are held as a general resource to meet requirements on an as needed, nationwide basis. Funds allocated for this estate in 2018 are as follows:
Subhead No.
|
Site
|
€m
|
Subhead I1
|
National Historic Properties
(Includes all operational and maintenance costs)
|
15,254
|
Subhead I2
|
National Monuments
(Includes maintenance staff wages, works and materials costs, utilities etc)
|
15,487
|
Subhead I3
|
Visitor Services
(includes costs of presentation; Guide staff wages, advertising, website etc)
|
9,308
|
The outturn on these Subheads for 2017 was:
Subhead No.
|
Site
|
€m
|
Subhead I1
|
National Historic Properties
|
15,052
|
Subhead I2
|
National Monuments
|
15,950
|
Subhead I3
|
Visitor Services
|
9,590
|
Funds within the Vote in respect of National Monuments are not allocated on a site basis but are held as a general resource to meet any requirements arising; on that basis, spending on the Grianán an Aileach site in 2017 totalled €34,036.36, including wages for Caretaking and maintenance charges.