National Monuments
Dail Éireann — 2021-09-23
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Patrick O'Donovan (FG), Limerick County

The answer is "Yes". We had a meeting with the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan, to discuss the broader issue yesterday. We are engaged with Fáilte Ireland on the whole issue of how we look at our estate and at the responsibilities we have. As the Deputy will know, during the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to support I received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, I initiated a programme across the entire OPW estate, offering free admission last year, which was a success with people staycationing. It was an attempt to get people to come into OPW-operated facilities to experience places like Barryscourt and lesser known and lesser visited sites. When Barryscourt is finished it will obviously have a bigger role to play in the wider tourism product of east Cork, including the Great Island, Cobh and Fota. We will be linking with Cork County Council, Fáilte Ireland and the local stakeholders including the local community to do exactly what the Deputy has requested.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2021-09-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:49:36+00:00
Sitting date: 2021-09-23