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Minister Brian Hayes TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, today (26 March 2014) welcomed the appointment of a new Board of Visitors for Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin 8.

Minister Hayes said, “I am very pleased that the new Board, who will be holding their inaugural meeting today at Kilmainham, are now in place and can contribute their wide knowledge and experience to the future of this important heritage site. The Board of Visitors have a long association with the Kilmainham site and some of the current membership were part of the volunteer group who effectively saved the building in the 1960’s before it was eventually taken over by the State in 1986.”

Kilmainham Gaol is one of the most popular of the heritage sites managed by the OPW with approximately 326,000 domestic and foreign visitors during 2013. The OPW are currently moving ahead with an ambitious project to adapt the former Kilmainham Courthouse building next door to the Gaol for visitor use and this will be an important and historic positive development in the long history of the site. It is intended that the new facilities will be completed in time for the keynote 1916 Rising Commemorations in two years time.

The Minister continued, “I am very happy that the Government has approved this significant new development at Kilmainham and the ability of the site to deal with the increasing number of visitors will be significantly improved as a result. This is an important development too for the Dubline, the key Fáilte Ireland tourism initiative in Dublin that was launched in 2012.”

The duty of the Board of Visitors will be to make reports on its own initiative or otherwise to the Minister of State at the OPW on the condition, requirements and use of the Gaol and on other related matters. Minister Hayes concluded by saying, “This new Board will also play an important additional role in advising me about the place Kilmainham occupies in the cultural and community life of the City. The Board Members have strong roots within the community and I will value the contribution they will make from this perspective, bringing the views of local groups and associations to my notice and enabling Kilmainham to fit more firmly within the Dublin 8 community and the wider City.”

-Ends-

Note to Editors:

List of Kilmainham Board of Visitors Members:

Mr. Damien Cassidy, Chairman (Acting)

Mr. John Toolan, Hon. Secretary (Acting)

Mr. Joe Costello TD

Ms. Catherine Byrne TD

Mr. Seán Mc Loughlin

Mr. L.G. Kilgallen

Mr. George Saunders

Mr. Niall Leonard

Ms. Kathleen Hyland

Mrs. Josephine Lawless

Mr. Tony Behan

Mr. Maurice Ahern

Mr. Frank Shalvey

Mr. Niall Bergin

Ms. Ana Dolan