Skellig Michael To Remain Closed Due To Health And Safety Concerns

By Dave Simpson
Skellig Michael To Remain Closed Due To Health And Safety Concerns

Skellig Michael will remain closed to visitors this year due to health and safety concerns.

According to The Irish Independent, an internal Office of Public Works (OPW) e-mail stated, "How do people stay two metres apart if they meet?

"People panting, breathing heavily as they pass each other etc.

"Also we have to consider risks if they have to administer first aid etc."

Boat Trips Concerns

The boat trip to the island was also cited as concern, with people "needing physical contact/assistance to get on/off", and the possibility of on board issues such as people "being unsteady on feet and maybe bumping into each other, getting sick".

ADVERTISEMENT

An OPW official stated, "These are issues that the boatmen would primarily have to solve, but we have to be conscious of the issue here when we're risk-assessing the whole proposition."

Another concern cited by internal OPW e-mails was the lack of washing or toilet facilities on the island.

A Difficult Decision

Senior officials at the OPW and the Department of Culture said that the decision to keep the island closed was difficult due to it resulting in the "loss of an iconic tourism draw".

© 2020 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.