Free admission to OPW visitor sites in our Counties as part of the support of Government’s recovery and reopening plan!

Yesterday I was very proud to accompany the Minister with responsibility for OPW, Patrick O’Donovan TD around a few of our stunning sites and on such a beautiful day too!

I’m delighted to see that charges to all fee-paying open OPW heritage sites are being waived in line with the Government’s recovery and reopening plan outlined in The Path Ahead.

This will support the tourism industry and local businesses in in our Counties by incentivising people to discover, enjoy and cherish the many OPW heritage sites spread across the county.

This is great news for the tourism industry as well as for those who are exploring their staycation options this summer.

Showcasing what is on our doorstep to our children is something they will learn from and we will cherish. Having visited Trim Castle, Lough Crew and Fore Abbey yesterday it brings back the realisation of how lucky we are to have these places steeped in history so close to us, along with the Hill of Tara, Newgrange and Knowth.

The measure is effective immediately and will remain in force until the end of the year.

Before Covid-19, OPW’s visitor attractions would have welcomed over 9 million visitors a year. This is now the second year in a row that the

 Government has acted to capitalise on, and contribute to, our historical and cultural destinations by making all of the OPW heritage sites that would normally have an admission fee free for all citizens looking for an enjoyable way to spend their holidays in 2021.

I’d encourage everyone to get out there and enjoy what beautiful sites we have and remember to do a little shopping too in our local communities & towns!