Jerry Buttimer
Cork South-Central · Fine Gael · Ireland
“Its priority is to provide scheduled public transport services on the TFI network. It works with event organisers, operators, local authorities and An Garda Síochána to provide additional transport supports where it is possible to do so.”
“I commit to relaying the points the Senator has made on the floor of the House, and has conveyed to me in private, to the Department of Transport. To be fair to the Senator, it was not only this morning that he has articulated this. The travelling supporters of Kerry and Mayo deserve additional transport.”
“I understand from the company that the Expressway team is currently examining whether additional services on route 22 will be added on the morning of Sunday, 26 July.”
“In this case, for Kerry and Mayo, as the Senator rightly said, it will see a high demand for scheduled and additional services. The Senator has outlined the volume of tickets sales. This is the busiest time for scheduled intercity services anyway, given that it is peak summer time, and that is a priority.”
“I understand from speaking to Irish Rail that it hopes to be in a position to confirm the number of additional services later this week - I am hoping this will be today or tomorrow - and it will advise customers as soon as these services are available to book.”
“The Senator mentioned Sneem and Ventry. He and I will remember our great friends, the late, great John Egan and Paudie O'Shea, as well as the Senator's brother Tim. I get emotional because they were great GAA people. Cork and Kerry have the best supporters of the GAA.”
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“It is not a question of political will. We all accept the great need to have that piece around connectivity. As I said at the beginning, entering into a driving licence exchange agreement is complex. It is not straightforward. We completely agree that we need to find the solution going forward. Let us have the solution. I commend the publication of the report and the work that has been done genuinely.”
“This may only take place after the Commission, together with the member states, assesses and decides on a country-by-country basis which third countries meet the requisite standard. I again thank the Deputy for the opportunity to speak on this issue. I will bring her concerns and the points she raised back to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and the RSA.”
“I am happy to ask the RSA to engage with the campaign group because it is important we hear from all sides and that we engage and understand fully what the issues are. The EU Driving Licences Directive 2025/2205 aims to modernise the driver licensing system and bring down the number of road deaths across the EU. The Union is committed to getting as close as possible to zero road traffic accident victims by 2050. The rules on driving licences are essential elements of the common transport policy and play a major role in improving road safety. The new directive provides for agreements on the EU-wide recognition of EU licences issued in exchange for licences from specific third countries, which have a road safety framework similar to the EU.”
“However, a person with a full but non-exchangeable licence can avail of a shorter learning to drive process, which includes six essential driver training lessons instead of 12 and no minimum period of six months before taking a driving test. One of the commitments of the programme for Government is to work to facilitate the easier return to Ireland for emigrants, including reciprocal driving licence arrangements with the United States, Australia and Canada. Ireland has a licence exchange agreement with Australia and with seven of the ten Canadian provinces, with a proposed agreement under way at present with Nova Scotia. Under the programme for Government, the RSA is currently engaging with New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey in order to undertake a technical review with a view to entering into a licence exchange agreement.”
“From Ireland’s perspective, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, is delegated under national legislation with the task of conducting the independent technical assessment comparing the two licensing regimes. Irish licences are normally issued for ten years but they may be issued for a shorter period in certain circumstances, such as on health grounds. Under the Road Traffic (Licencing of Drivers) Regulations 2006, as amended, someone who is resident in Ireland may apply to renew their Irish licence within ten years of it expiring. This effectively gives a window of 20 years from the day the licence is issued to the date it must be renewed. People with a non-exchangeable licence who come to reside in Ireland must obtain an Irish licence in order to drive here.”
“Entering into a driving licence exchange agreement with a country outside of the EU is not a straightforward matter and reaching it is not a matter of political will. However, I take the Deputy’s point with regard to political will. There needs to be that political will to do that. The former president of the GAA, Larry McCarthy, has been engaging with me on this issue. The core principle when reaching an agreement with another jurisdiction is to ensure the continued safety of road users is not compromised. In reaching a bilateral agreement, the most important element is ensuring that the other jurisdictions applies standards for obtaining a licence which are compatible with our own. Where they do not meet these standards, no agreement is possible, no matter how desirable an agreement with that jurisdiction may be.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an ábhar seo a ardú. I welcome Ciarán and Damian and thank them for their work, advocacy and what they have been doing. I thank Deputy Bennett for raising the matter. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister who sends his apologies for not being here. In order to ensure the safety of road users, it is vital that Ireland only exchanges licences following a detailed examination of the relevant country's licensing and testing regime. Engagement with the relevant licensing authority is required in order to conduct such an examination. In addition, formal engagement is required with the other country during the licence exchange process itself in order to verify the licence. Bilateral agreements are utilised to ensure that both of these steps may be undertaken effectively.”
“The Deputy’s point is well made. I am certainly happy to commit to engage with the NTA in support of the continuation of this service.”
“The Government is fully supportive to continue to invest in public transport, particularly in Athenry. In the programme for Government, we are committed to a variety of changes and ways of making public transport more accessible and sustainable for the future. This service is a matter for the NTA. As I said, it is carrying out a review. It is important we communicate with the NTA in this regard. I accept that. I am happy to do so with or on behalf of the Deputy, along with the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney. We have seen a transformation in the provision of public services in the Galway area. That is a credit to the Government but also to Iarnród Éireann. We should also show our appreciation to the travelling public who have had to endure a lot of hassle and hardship in that period.”
“Deputy Dolan makes a compelling case. The Deputy can be assured that I, the Department of Transport, the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, are all strongly committed to providing all regions and citizens with reliable and suitable mobility options. Public transport plays a key role in the delivery of this goal. I live in Cork where we have an ambitious plan. It has been successful. Cork, Mallow, Cobh and Midleton are beyond recognition from where they were ten years ago. The Deputy made a key point. The key point for us is that in the budget, we secured €940 million in funding for PSO and TFI Local Link services. A significant uplift of 43% has been seen, which is important. The Deputy is correct that the works in Ceannt Station have been transformative, but it is that piece about connectivity.”
“This service was funded though the capital project funding, as a train set had to be stabled at Athenry to facilitate the works. This temporary service is funded until the end of July this year. I heard the Deputy’s point on the consultation piece and I will bring that back to the NTA and the Minister. Iarnród Éireann has submitted to the NTA the associated costs to continue the operation of this temporary service beyond 31 July. This is currently under review by the NTA. I thank the Deputy for his advocacy. He has made a cogent and clear argument this morning. I will speak to the Minister and the NTA about it. Service level increases have proven beneficial to the travelling public and commuters. At a time when want to see more people get out of cars, this makes imminent sense.”
“There will be improved accessibility and waiting areas, along with that ticketing office improvement about which we all get representations from people who use the buses and trains. Additionally, future bus bay expansion will be provided for, which is envisaged under the development of adjacent lands. In addition to the new roof, there are renovations to the northern elevation as well as infrastructure works, including track and resignalling, to support the increase in the number of platforms. Other service work is ongoing, including drainage works. It was arising from operational arrangements associated with the ongoing renewal works at Ceannt Station that in October 2025 there was an ability to introduce a temporary 6.50 a.m. Athenry to Galway service until the end of July 2026.”
“Through funding from the Department of housing's urban regeneration and development fund and the NTA, Ceannt Station has been undergoing significant works for the past two years to deliver a modern, fully integrated and fully accessible transport hub in the heart of Galway. This commuter service is part of that, which is pivotal. As a gateway to the city, the investment will deliver better platforms and more capacity. For example, the number of platforms has gone from two to five, which will significantly expand the rail service well into the future. We have a new southern entrance and facade, creating that modern facade that we need. Enhanced connectivity and interchange between rail and bus services will make it easier and more attractive for customers to use multiple modes.”
“Following completion of work on the curved glass roof and the new platform 5 in late 2025, the next phase of the Ceannt Station development was completed on Saturday, 18 April. New platforms 3 and 4 also entered service. We all know the different knock-on supports that happened with the opening of the new platforms. This latest milestone equates to roughly half of the station footprint being reopened to the public, ensuring an improved passenger experience and a more streamlined service for local rail users. That links to what the Deputy wants to see happen with the continuation of the service that he spoke about.”
“I thank Deputy Dolan for raising this important matter. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, who sends his apologies. The Deputy is correct that this is an opportunity to get this right. It is important that our public transport offering provides services that benefit people. I agree with the Deputy in that regard. In my city of Cork, we see that commuter rail is successful. It works. As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, has responsibility for policy and overall funding. As the Deputy alluded to, the NTA is the agency responsible for the provision of this transport matter. It is important to recognise - Deputy Dolan has done so - that in response to growing demand, Iarnród Éireann increased service frequency arriving into Ceannt Station before 10 a.m. from four to five trains in August.”
“We need to see that done. The Deputy is right; there is no point in driving and dividing people. It is about bringing people together, and we all benefit from that. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter on behalf of the people of south Kerry. I have it my own constituency. I am fully aware of the issues he has raised. It is one that we need to see common sense in as well, because it is about people. People in these cases are not looking to cause trouble. They are looking to protect themselves and do what is best for their communities. I am sorry to the staff for running over time.”
“It is important that best practice for regional and national greenways is that we do not enter into CPOs as a first resort, that it is the last resort, that there is engagement, connection and conversation, and that it is voluntary land acquisition. I ask Deputy Healy-Rae to be that conduit. I believe, and will make the point, that Kerry County Council has said it is a priority for it that it will settle land acquisition arrangements. I hope it will because they are landowners. As the Deputy said, they are people who have worked hard for the land that they have. Equally, it is important that all lines of communication are open and that there is an opportunity to be taken to resolve the matter to ensure we see a positive solution that can be achieved for all the people living and working in south Kerry. I hope we will see progress.”
“The first point I will make is that greenways will have significant benefit to the local areas, as the Deputy said, in terms of significant benefits beyond the transport sector in areas such as regional economic development, public health, climate resilience and economic activity. The point the Deputy made is that it is important that three sections of the Kerry greenway will be open to the public by the summer. I will restate that it is, and should be, as the Deputy said, the primary objective across all proposed greenway schemes to acquire land voluntarily. In the transport committee in November, TII committed to reviewing the code this year. In tandem, the Government will review the parent greenway document strategy. I will come back to that again another day with the Deputy.”
“There are other cases where agreement of landowners’ agent's fees is also delaying the process. Three cases have been referred to arbitration and are engaging with the formal process to help bring matters toward a fair and timely resolution. I have been assured that Kerry County Council officials are working closely with remaining local landowners and their agents to finalise accommodation works and land acquisition payments. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is critical that there is a working relationship between the local authority and all landowners to ensure that all claims can be settled. I encourage all landowners to engage with the project team if they have not done so.”
“Compensation has been agreed with a further 54 landowners and these claims are at various stage of the conveyancing process. The average time between finalising conveyancing details with a landowner’s solicitor and making payment is five to six months. I have been advised that it is expected that all of these 54 claims will be paid in 2026, barring any unforeseen circumstances or issues. I would like to confirm to the Deputy that funding is available to pay these claims in 2026 on completion of the relevant legal documentation. When completed, 65% of all impacted landowners will have been fully compensated for their land. In 16 cases, no statement of claim has been received from the landowner or the landowner’s agent, which is resulting in delays to the process.”
“CPOs are a long-standing statutory mechanism available to local authorities for public infrastructure projects and their use is subject to strict legal processes and oversight. I hear very clearly the Deputy's remarks about the use of CPOs and he is right. It must be by the will of the people. There must be engagement, constructive and meaningful talks and conversations with landowners and others. That is the only way to proceed. I see this in my own constituency and in Cork South West, with the Cork to Kinsale greenway. I fully agree with the Deputy that we must bring people together, not divide and conquer. Kerry County Council has advised that land is being acquired from 138 landowners for the south Kerry greenway. As of early April 2026, compensation has been agreed and paid to 36 landowners.”
“It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the challenges involved in delivering this scheme, which range from complex engineering issues involving topography and remediation works on historical structures to inflationary pressures and, of course, land acquisition. The preferred approach to land acquisition for greenways is to procure required land by voluntary land agreements, VLAs. All reasonable efforts should be made to acquire land on a voluntary basis. It is only as a last resort that a CPO will be pursued by a local authority and it should only ever be a last resort. Even then, where a CPO process commence,s there should be further ongoing engagement throughout the process to try and reach a voluntary land agreement. That may not happen in some cases. I have heard that this is not the situation in some cases, which disappoints me.”
“Over €9 million has been allocated to fund this project in 2026 alone, while a further €7 million, approximately, was allocated to fund this scheme in 2025. This significant investment underlines the Government's commitment to the project. I hear the Deputy's point about the economic lift the greenway will give the areas he mentioned. I understand that two sections of the greenway route have opened in recent months and that another section will be opened over the summer. This is a positive development and signals Kerry County Council’s commitment to progressing this project to delivery.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter, which I am dealing with on behalf of Minister for Transport. On a personal level, I do not disagree with a lot of what the Deputy said. He is absolutely right and I will come back to that in a minute. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for the overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to greenways. The planning, design and construction of individual greenways is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TIl, as the approving authority and the relevant local authority, which in the case of this project is Kerry County Council. The delivery of the south Kerry greenway is a key priority within the greenways programme. It is a significant project that will link Glenbeigh and Cahersiveen, with the 24 km route primarily following the old railway line.”
“How do we communicate with a pilot? What do you do during the flight? What are the safety implications? Senator Clonan spoke about inspections of the cargo in the hold. It is for those reasons that we are not opposing the amendment but are not supporting the Bill. The explanation I have given is that the narrow scope of the proposed inspection regime is being broadened by what the Senator is asking here in respect of existing powers. It creates more than what we need at this point, but perhaps the Minister can engage further with the Senator in the Lower House. I know she is not a Member of the Lower House, but it can be extended to other Members of the Houses in that case.”
“It is clear that amendment No. 7 interacts with amendment No. 1, as it pertains to authorised persons, and amendment No. 3, as it pertains to Article 8 of the order. It is clear that Article 8 of the order was drafted from the perspective of an aircraft being on the ground as opposed to being in flight. As such, and in the context of the comments on amendment No. 3 regarding what we have been speaking about, it would appear to broaden the existing powers in the order to provide for the instruction to land. If I am honest about it and if we look at it in the context of the time for assessment of the compatibility of this provision with international rules in relation to aircraft in flight but also regarding the initial examination, there is not enough detail provided on these issues within the legislation.”
“We will continue to review and monitor the situation. It is incumbent upon us as a nation to ensure that we do not allow for the passage of munitions through our airspace that will, as the Senator said, cause further damage and potential loss of life. Today, we mourn the loss of a second French peacekeeper in Lebanon. All of us who are parliamentarians here and the governments of various countries elsewhere must ensure that the sovereignty of our airspace and their airspace is upheld in terms of the passage of munitions.”
“I will be very brief, because I know Senator Higgins wants to come back in. There is much that unites us rather than divides in what we have heard. I understand and appreciate the contributions of Senators Higgins and Clonan regarding this amendment. It is important we understand that the Government and its agencies act and engage in terms of the external carriers. That is why we are not opposing this amendment. I know we are not going to support the Bill, but I certainly think, in the context of what Senator Clonan spoke about, that there is a system is in place. There is a robust engagement, and I have trust in the system. I take the Senator's point. There are criteria that have to be fulfilled and upheld as regards the inspection regime relating to those who are transiting through Ireland. Again, we are not opposing the amendment.”
“The Government are not opposing amendments but we are not supporting the passage of the Bill. It has been clear. My contribution to Senator Higgins is where I stand. I have articulated many views that we share here. My information is that the Government is not supporting the Bill's passage through the House.”
“I will reply in the context that the Government is not supporting the Bill's passage. I think the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, has spoken to the Senator about that already. I am a conduit for information to the Senator; I am not the line Minister. There has been engagement between the Senator and the Department and I think the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, was speaking to her beforehand, but Government will not be supporting the passage of the Bill through the House.”
“There are people in the Houses of Congress in America who question me about our Government’s role and our parliamentary position and I tell them we are not anti-Israel or antisemitic but pro-people. Senator Higgins is right when she speaks about the destruction of a civic society and a people. We agree with her on that so we will not oppose the amendment and I will let the Senator come back in, but I wanted to make the point that we have been consistent.”
“Elected; I thank the Senator. We as parliamentarians have a duty and responsibility to lead and be fair in these Houses, and we have, but others have not. Senator Clifford-Lee, who has done Trojan work in the IPU in a variety of different roles, will attest that in Istanbul this week some countries wanted to absolve themselves of any responsibility. I do not want to divide with Senator Higgins because I am probably a lot closer to her than she might think, but our Government is very clear and very consistent. The Ministers, Deputies O’Brien, McEntee and Harris, and the Taoiseach have made that point. The Taoiseach in Washington brought a lot of people with him.”
“We all want to see this conflict end for a variety of reasons, but one of them has to be that the President of America cannot just bypass all international norms and do what he wants on a whim. The sad part for me, though this may be for a different debate, is the UN has been rendered useless. We are embarking on the journey of appointing a new Secretary General of the United Nations. That appointment has to reflect where we are in the world, geopolitically, today. We have a new secretary general of the IPU being appointed.”
“It is important in this debate that we adhere to the fact that we are looking at the whole point of upholding the rule of law. Senator Higgins speaks about consistency. I hope we are consistent. We are consistent. I commend her on what she is doing and what she has said, and I heard her in this House as a Member and hear her now as a Minister of State. I would think Government is acting on the same page though maybe along different lines. However, we share the same common bond of respect for law and respect for life. In this context it is about ensuring our Government, as the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, said here before, is not promising things it cannot do. We will not be opposing the amendment. As a member of the Government, as a politician and as a citizen, I am appalled, as we all are, by what is happening in the world today.”
“I did not demur from my responsibility and my role as a member of the Irish Parliament or Irish Government. We woke up this morning to the President again putting up a post about continuing the ceasefire. Our Government is being quite clear about de-escalation and the end of the conflict because there is no good in what is happening. Senator Clonan is right about Colin Powell. He was a man we all respected and admired, and what happened regarding his comments about weapons of mass destruction? Nothing. Look what happened then. The sad part is there are other actors in the world, and at a time when he is under pressure otherwise, you have to say the Prime Minister of the UK has stood up and has not been railroaded into action that could have had catastrophic consequences more profound than we currently have.”
“I recognise the point the Senator is making about the flagrancy, or rather the vagaries, and we have seen the killing of troops in Lebanon. I do not mean to be controversial but something and somewhere has to look at the whole structure of the United Nations in the wider context of our debate. Two of the big five have a veto to block reform and block sending troops to Lebanon for peacekeeping, for example, which we all know is required. I do not agree with Senator Higgins, though I fully respect and admire her passion. We have been leaders in the world. Others are following us. She spoke about Sánchez but he is following us. If we are right, we need to reflect on the EU-Israel agreement as a European Union. We must respect human rights. We have to. I was in China for St. Patrick's Day and I spoke on human rights.”
“I am 19 years a Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas and in my wildest dreams, or any kind of the dream, I never thought that an American president would behave as he is doing. He is showing scant regard to all of us around the world, in particular to the institutions of the United Nations and ICJ, or even basic decency to the likes of the European Union, for example. I do not agree with Senator Clonan that we are being carefree about our troops. On the contrary, the Minister for Defence and Government, along with the Chief of Staff, are very much aware of their responsibilities to our troops. It is important we send a message from this House that our Government will always protect and look after our troops. I would like that to be said because it is very clear. I have met our troops, visited them and spoken to them.”
“Gabhaim mo bhuíochas le gach Seanadóir a bhí páirteach sa chuid seo den díospóireacht. The first thing is that we will not oppose the amendment. Second, and I am taking this for the Minister but I am also speaking in a personal capacity as well as from the Government side, I do not know anybody who supports what is happening in the world today. It is important that we agree on a number of things. The principles are first of all that the international rules-based order must be upheld at all times. I have travelled with Senator Clifford-Lee and Senator Ahearn to the Kyiv Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU. As Cathaoirleach of this House I spoke very strongly at the IPU in support of the Palestinian people and against what is happening in the world today. Senator Clonan is right and I completely agree with him. I said it here last week.”
“Our officials will continue to engage to ensure the funding is fully utilised. I will ask officials to review the allocation mechanism to look at how we can allocate and reallocate available funding for the schemes to County Kerry. The Senator said there is an extraordinary number of roads and a high number of applicants waiting. I think 580 are waiting for approval. I will sit down with the Senator and work with him to see what we can do to ensure the fund for Kerry is increased. I will not make any false promises but the points he makes are valid. They are a lifeline for rural communities. It is about accessibility to their own farmland and to tourism and heritage sites. I hear what he is saying and I will bring his remarks back.”
“I hear what the Senator has said and the figure of €5 million he mentioned. Kerry County Council has been allocated over €1.3 million for the LIS this year bringing its total allocation to €12.7 million since 2017. I encourage and support our local authorities to ensure the continued and effective use of this funding in supporting our rural communities. It is an important scheme. The programme for Government makes clear its support for the LIS and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are committed to ensuring this funding continues to be utilised in an efficient and effective manner. We will hold the councils to account in the case of underspend and underutilisation. We expect local authorities to continue to deliver efficiently on the scheme across Ireland. It has a huge benefit.”
“The scheme is also used to fund non-public roads leading to important community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers, mountain access points and other heritage or tourism sites. I reaffirm my commitment and that of the Minister to the local improvement scheme and commend the work of local authorities across rural Ireland that administer it, particularly Kerry. I thank the Senator for again raising the matter. It is a necessary support to encourage and maintain our rural communities and this is reflected in the Government’s and our commitment to the scheme.”
“To try to understand and limit underspends and maximise works completed each year, Department officials engage with local authorities to understand where full spending may not occur and the potential to redistribute funds to local authorities that may be in a position to utilise funds. As the Senator knows, County Kerry did not return money last year because it spent its full allocation. Using underspends from elsewhere our Department was able to provide a further €64,000 in works over and above the county’s approved budget. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I understand the importance of this scheme, which is about supporting the upkeep of non-public roads and laneways for people in rural Ireland and in particular for our farm families. These roads provide vital access to lands and rural homes.”
“This brought the funding for Kerry last year to €22.2 million, which was a 44% increase in the budget from the previous year. I accept there are delays and people still waiting. Our Department provides funding for the scheme. It is administered by the local authorities, which are responsible for the management of waiting lists, scheme applications and determining the eligibility of roads. Our officials continue to be engaged with Kerry County Council to ensure that the funding is being fully utilised. While in previous years, as the Senator referenced, a number of small communities and local authorities did not spend their entire LIS allocation and returned money, we have asked our local government colleagues to ensure this will not happen again.”
“The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are committed to ensuring the scheme continues to be well funded in the coming years. In February, we confirmed funding of €17.5 million for the LIS in 2026, which represents an increase on the base funding announced in previous years. In August last year, and following the confirmation of €16.5 million in funding for 2025, we will likely be able to provide an additional second round of funding to local authorities under the 2025 scheme, which almost doubled the previous allocation committed and saw the 2025 budget increase to €30 million, the highest annual level since the scheme's introduction. Senator Kennelly will be glad to know that in County Kerry additional funding was made available to Kerry County Council under the second round of funding to the tune of €1.2 million.”
“They provide important connectivity in communities across rural Ireland, particularly in Kerry, enhancing access to homes, farmland and amenities. The support for these schemes can be seen in their popularity at local level. I can attest to the success of the scheme because of the level of demand and interest and the joy of people who are successful. Since the scheme was introduced in 2017, the Government has allocated over €201 million to local authorities. Our Rural Future, the Government's national rural development policy, clearly recognises the important role the LIS plays in rural Ireland and commits to ensuring that the scheme is funded into the future. The programme for Government also recognises the benefits provided under the scheme and is committed to provision of additional funding for the LIS.”
“I thank Senator Kennelly for again raising the important matter of the local improvement scheme. He is right. The profound weather is having a huge implication for these roads and I accept the points he made. It is not his first time raising the matter. I have listened to his contributions and will take them back to the Minister, Deputy Calleary. It is important to note that the focus of the scheme is to continue supporting the improvement of non-public rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The Senator is right that these roads are not luxuries. They represent a vital piece of infrastructure for the people he speaks about and champions, and he has done so regularly.”
“It is an important contribution the Senator has made. We are committed to heritage and heritage sites. Those of us who, like the Senator, love history and tourism recognise the importance of what she has said. I will take it back for her.”
“It has demonstrated its commitment to supporting local economic activity through initiatives in Sligo and across the wider heritage estate: extended opening periods, enhanced programming and strong stakeholder collaboration. I thank Sligo County Council for its collaboration on parking and accessibility, along with Fáilte Ireland and local stakeholders, to improve access and the visitor experience in a manner that is sustainable, responsible and fully consistent with the long-term conservation of this important national monument. Conservation and sustainability are two important points. The Senator made a great point about the love knot on St. Valentine's Day. We could nearly all go to Sligo for St. Valentine's Day next year. We have a Kerryman in the audience and he could do with a bit of love after losing the league final to Donegal.”
“I welcome the students - céad míle fáilte - and thank them for being here. I thank the teachers for being here as well. I hope they enjoy the homework off. The students should get homework off tomorrow night because they are probably not in school to get homework today. Let us give them tomorrow night off as well. We need to think differently about tourism in the world we live in, with the threats happening geopolitically. We must look at homegrown tourism and the shoulder season. I give the Senator a commitment that I will bring her comments back. The OPW will continue to monitor patterns closely and respond appropriately to demand.”
“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.”