Office of Public Works seeks private facilities for heritage sites

The cash-strapped Office of Public Works is to open concessions, such as restaurants and playgrounds, at 17 of the country’s most popular heritage sites in order to generate funds to pay for all the heritage locations it operates across the country.

Advertisements in yesterday’s newspapers invited proposals from “qualified firms and service providers” wishing to offer “enhanced visitor/recreational facilities and services” at heritage sites, including Dublin and Kilkenny castles, Phoenix Park and Derrynane House. It said the concessions could include, but were not confined to, play facilities, catering concessions, and “activity-based services”.

Brian Hayes, junior minister with special responsibility for the OPW, said his department was “very tight on cash” and said there was no reason why the OPW and the private sector could not enter an arrangement to build up capacity on sites where there was significant footfall.