Severe staff cutbacks at Muckross House could reduce visitor capacity

SEVERE cutbacks in the number of guides and gardeners have been imposed at one of the state’s most visited tourist attractions, Muckross House and gardens near Killarney, which famously hosted a visit by Queen Victoria in 1861.

The cutbacks may affect the numbers of visitors the house can cater for in a year when demand is high.

The cutbacks, due to a reduction in funding from the Department of the Environment, which finances the property, are forcing management to prioritise at a time when tourist numbers are rising, it has been confirmed.