Heritage Sites Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-22 ============================================================ Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cork South-Central I thank Senator Cosgrove for raising this important issue. I apologise the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, cannot be here. The Senator certainly whetted the appetite for a visit. In her wonderful contribution she illustrated the merits of Sligo Abbey. I thank her for that. It is, as the Senator said, a national monument in State care of significant architectural and cultural importance. She spoke about the fact that it goes back to the 13th century. If one were to analyse it, Sligo Abbey is one of the most complete surviving medieval monastic sites in Ireland and has been in State care since the 19th century. With recent television programmes such as "Nationwide" and others, that monastic life is one we should look at and revisit. The Office of Public Works has statutory responsibility for its protection, conservation and presentation, ensuring its long-term preservation while facilitating appropriate public access. The key point for us which the Senator referenced in her contribution is that it is a significant site within the OPW's heritage estate and is one of the most visited sites in the north west, with the visitor number going from 27,000 in 2022 to almost 39,000 in 2023 and 34,000 in 2024. We are told the figures for last year exceeded 45,000. A key driver of this are the four guides which the Senator referenced. I thank the OPW guide service in Sligo Abbey and pay tribute to them on the service which benefits all of us. They are a dedicated and highly experienced guiding team who provide an extraordinary amount of expert interpretation, guided tours, educational engagement with schools and tailored experiences which suit group visitors and tour operators. The service is consistent with other guide services across the OPW estate. A strong emphasis is placed by the OPW on storytelling, accessibility and local connection significantly enhancing the visitor experience. In addition, Sligo Abbey delivers a diverse programme of events significantly enhancing the cultural and community value, working with Sligo County Council and other stakeholders. This includes initiatives during Heritage Week, Culture Night, Christmas programming and a successful St. Patrick's Day event. The important point is the event attracted almost 700 visitors in a single day, with strong engagement from local families and first-time visitors, demonstrating the effectiveness of targeted programming in expanding audiences. As the Senator said, it is the most visited heritage site and it is an important one. The key point for the Government and the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, is strong collaboration at local and regional levels. That is paramount to the success of Sligo Abbey. The OPW works with Fáilte Ireland, Sligo County Council and a variety of other stakeholders, tourism bodies, educational establishments and community organisations. The work aligns with the national and regional tourism policy framework, including A New Era for Irish Tourism: National Tourism Policy Statement and the Fáilte Ireland Sligo destination and experience development plan. Opening arrangements for Sligo Abbey are kept under continuous review, taking account of visitor demand, conservation requirements, health and safety considerations and the sustainable allocation of staffing and financial resources. In this context, the OPW has already taken significant steps to extend access. Last year, the visitor season was extended by six weeks. Building on that progress, this season will run from 14 March to 30 December. That is an increase to a ten-month window for Sligo Abbey and puts it on a par with many of the OPW's larger and more visited heritage sites nationally. The extended season has enabled a stronger focus on the shoulder or off-peak season, where targeted programming has proven effective in attracting domestic tourism and supporting local economic activity. The seasonal opening schedule is long established across the OPW's suite of heritage estates but the Senator makes a good point. It is based on established patterns of visitation and alignment with tour operators' schedules. I agree with the Senator that the year-round offering should be looked at more because we are looking to attract more home investment in tourist attractions. I will bring her points back to the Minister of State because she has made some good points. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-22/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:50+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-04-22