OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí
Skellig Michael Safety Review
Sunday 30th May 2010
PRESS RELEASE
An independent safety review on the Skellig Michael World Heritage Site was released today. The report was prepared by Mssrs. Byrne Ó’Cléirigh Ltd, Engineering Consultants. The Minister, Dr Martin Mansergh, TD, has accepted the Report and its recommendations.
The Report is available to view in its entirety on the OPW Heritage Ireland website, http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/South-West/SkelligMichael/
The Report has made a series of recommendations relating to the management of risk at this complex site. The OPW has already commenced work on implementing the recommendations that can be effected immediately, and will implement the other recommendations on a phased basis.
Skellig Michael is at present one of only two UNESCO World Heritage sites, together with Brú na Boinne, in the Republic. The Giant’s Causeway and causeway coast is a third site on the island of Ireland. Skellig Michael is, without doubt, one of the jewels in the crown of the country’s heritage and cultural landscape, and offers a visitor experience unlike any other, that links back vividly to the remote monastic life of the early Christian era. It is important to stress, however, that Skellig Michael is also a wilderness site and a designated Nature Reserve. It presents a unique and challenging landscape, and visitors must take care at all times.
Tragically, two tourists lost their lives while on the island last year. As a result of these tragedies, an urgent safety review was commissioned. Among the key recommendations in the review is the dissemination of information regarding the risks on the island. A high emphasis on the risks associated with the site now features on the Heritage Ireland website, on newly designed standard notices erected on the island, and in leaflets now being distributed to visitors to the island. As a tangible expression of OPW’s efforts to promote as safe a régime as possible on the island, a steel chain has now been fixed on the inner wall along the ledge, where the fatalities are reported to have occurred last year, and the steps alongside the ledge have been reconfigured.
Among other measures implemented by the OPW since the end of last year’s visiting season are the replacement of the handrail at the pier; repairs to the railing just up from the pier; clearing the roadway and gullies of all débris, and the cleaning down of access steps and securing all steps. OPW will continue to position a guide at the bottom of the access steps to advise all visitors of the innate risks on the island.
While the Report states that “from a risk perspective, OPW’s management of the site is admirable and that the measures already in place safeguarding health and safety of recreational users and OPW personnel are impressive”, the health and safety of all visitors to the island remains an absolute priority of the OPW. The Commissioners of Public Works will comply with the recommendations of the safety report, while continuing to carry out their responsibility to manage, conserve, maintain and present this unique and magnificent heritage landscape.
Ends…
For further information contact Neil Ryan, OPW Press Officer, (046) 942 6128 or (087) 947 5552.
Dé Domhnach, 30ú Bealtaine 2010
PREASEISIÚINT
D'eisíodh athbhreithniú sábháilteachta den Suíomh Oidhreachta Domhanda Sceilg Mhichíl inniú. Is iad Byrne Ó Cleirigh Teo., Sainchomhairleoirí Innealtóireachta, a d'ullmhaigh an tuairisc. Ghlac an tAire Martin Mansergh, TD leis an tuairisc agus a mholtaí.
Is féidir teacht ar an dTuairisc iomláin ar shuíomh idirlín oidhreachta an OPW http://www.heritageireland.ie/ga/AntIardheisceart/NaSceilg/.
Cuimsíonn an Tuairisc sraith moltaí maidir le bainistíocht riosca ag an suíomh casta seo. Tá obair tosnaithe cheana féin ag an OPW ar chur i bhfeidhm na moltaí gur féidir chur i ngníomh láithreach agus cuirfidh siad na moltaí eile i bhfeidhm de réir a chéile.
Níl ach dhá shuíomh Oidhreachta Domhanda EOECNA i bPoblacht na hÉireann agus is ceann acu siúd Sceilg Mhichíl, is é Brú na Bóinne and dara suíomh. Is é Clochán an Aifir agus an cósta mórthimpeall air an tríú suíomh ar oileán na hÉireann. Is seoid oidhreachta agus chultúrtha é Sceilg Mhichíl a thairgníonn eispéireas ar leith don cuairteoir a dhéanann nasc cumhachtach le saol iargúlta mainistreach an Luathré Chriostaí. Tá sé an-tábhachtach cuimhniú, áfach, gur fásach agus Anaclann Dúlra sainithe é Sceilg Mhichíl freisin. Is tírdhreach leithleach é an suíomh agus ba chóir do chuairteoirí a bheith curamach i gcónaí.
Fuair beirt turasóir bás go tragóideach ar an oileán anuraidh. De dheasca na tragóidí sin threoraíodh go n-déanfar athbhreithníu sábháilteachta práinneach. Tá scaipeadh faisnéise mar gheall ar na baoil a bhaineann leis an oileán i measc príomh-mholtaí an tuairisc. Cuirtear béim láidir anois ar na baoil a bhaineann leis an suíomh ar láithreán idirlín www.heritageireland.ie, ar fhógraí nua deartha caighdeánach atá curtha suas ar an oileán agus i mbileoige eolas a scaiptear ar chuairteoirí chuig an oileáin. Mar léiriú sofheicthe ar iarrachtaí an OPW córas chomh sábháilte agus is féidir a chur chun cinn ar an oileán, tá slabhra cruach daingnithe leis an mballa istigh le taobh an seilf ar a thuairiscíodh go tharla na básanna anuraidh agus tá na céimeanna taobh leis an seilf athchóirithe.
I measc na bearta eile atá curtha i bhfeidhm ag an OPW ó shéasúr na cuairteoirí anuraidh tá an ráille láimhe ag an cé athraithe, tá deisiúcháin déanta ar an ráille thuas ón gcé, ghlanadh an bóthar agus na clasáin de smionagar, ghlanadh síos na céimeanna rochtain agus tá na céimeanna ar fad daingnithe. Leanfaidh an OPW le treoraí a lonnú ag bun na céimeanna rochtain le cuairteoirí a chur ar an eolas faoi na baoil dúchasach a bhaineann leis an oileán.
Cé go ndeireann an Tuairisc go bhfuil bainistíocht an OPW ar an suíomh i dtaobh 'gné na sláinte agus sábháilteacht de inmholta agus go bhfuil na bearta atá ann faoi láthair chun sláinte agus sábháilteacht an úsáideoir áineasa agus foireann OPW a chosaint mórthaibhseach', leanann sláinte agus sábháilteacht na cuairteoirí ar fad chuig an oileán mar dhearbhthosaíocht ag an OPW. Cloífidh Coimisinéirí agus Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí le moltaí an tuairisc sábháilteachta agus iad ag tabhairt faoina ndualgais an tírdhreach oidhreachta leithleach agus lonrach seo a bhainistiú, a chaomhnú, a chothabháil agus a cur i láthair.
Críoch...
Má tá tuilleadh eolais uait téigh i dteagmháil le Neil Ryan, Preasoifigeach an OPW, (046) 942 6128 nó (087) 947 5552.