Fáilte Ireland has clarified that the €500,000 allocated to Cork County Council for a tourism project in Bantry was for a number of works, including the removal of existing signs and the erection of 23 new storyboards, not just the cost of a single portal sign.
A local councillor in Cork County has defended the council's spending on a new tourism information sign in Bantry after reports suggested it cost €670,000. The figure, which was likened to the €336,000 spent on the Leinster House bicycle shed, sparked public outrage. However, Fáilte Ireland, the Irish tourism body, has clarified that the €500,000 it allocated to the council as part of its €15.5 million Destination Towns Programme was for a number of works in the town, not just the sign.
Fáilte Ireland said the funding covered the removal of 20 existing signs, the erection of 23 new storyboards, decluttering and rearrangement of street furniture, and improvement of lighting and paving. The project aims to improve the visitor experience in Bantry by better signposting routes between attractions such as Bantry House and Gardens and Wolfe Tone Square, where a new visitor interpretation hub has been developed. All of the storyboards tell the fascinating history of Bantry people and historic events, with translations in both English and Irish. Cork County Council also contributed €170,000 to the project. Cllr Danny Collins said that council staff had told him the €670,000 figure was for the overall scheme, not just the portal structure. He added that he had tabled a motion for next week's Bantry Municipal District meeting seeking a full breakdown of the costs of the sign and other works around the town.Collins stated that people were very angry after local media reports suggested the portal structure had cost that much, and that he had been 'getting it in the neck' from people. He acknowledged their anger, saying he would understand it if the sign had indeed cost €670,000. The council said Bantry was selected as the county's destination town due to its strategic importance as a tourist location and that the decision to spend the money on improving tourism signage and linking it to a heritage trail was made following local consultation and in line with national requirements
TOURISM BANTRY FÁILTE IRELAND CORK COUNTY COUNCIL SIGNAGE DESTINATION TOWNS PROGRAMME
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