Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath has approved €2.6 million funding to enable Shannon Heritage sites to remain open until the end of the year, Clare TD Joe Carey has confirmed.
Following a lengthy review process, the Department of Transport sent a submission to Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath on Monday evening supporting calls locally to keep our heritage sites open on a year-round basis.
Minister McGrath today (Thursday, August 20) confirmed to Deputy Carey that he has approved a request for €2.6 million funding to keep the heritage sites, which were due to close at the end of this month, open until the end of 2020.
Deputy Carey said: “This is most welcome news for Clare the entire Mid-West region, especially for the Shannon Heritage staff and all of the spin-off businesses that depend so much on hugely popular sites such as Bunratty Castle & Folk Park and King John’s Castle.”
The Clarecastle-based TD, who is also the chair of the all-party Shannon Airport Oireachtas Group, added: “Working together, politicians in the region have ensured that these iconic sites will remain open and it’s important that this collaborative approach continues as work on the issues impacting Shannon Airport and as we seek to rebuild its fortunes rebuild in the wake of the pandemic.”
