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The cost of operating and maintaining 700 national monuments under the control of the OPW eexceeded €13m in 2019 but income was less than €6.3 million.

Less than 50 sites operate with a guide service, some are closed or are free.

The OPW says it charges admissions to certain heritage visitor sites in its care but doesn't have a very commercial pricing strategy.

It says these sites are mainly a public cultural asset.

 

 Irish MEPs must support a vote to open up trade between Vietnam and Europe.  That’s according to Drinks Ireland|Irish Whiskey, the representative body for the Irish whiskey industry.

 The vote on the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is taking place in Strasbourg today.  If passed, the agreement will remove the existing 45 per cent tariff on Irish whiskey imports to Vietnam.  

 William Lavelle, Head of Drinks Ireland|Irish Whiskey, said: ““We’re calling on Irish MEPs to vote in favour of this trade agreement, which will support export growth. 

“The last decade saw a boom in Irish whiskey exports to North America and Europe. The next decade will see an increasing focus on Asia.  Trade agreements such as that on offer with Vietnam will help open up Asia to Irish whiskey.  In turn, this will support more jobs in local Irish whiskey distilleries and more custom for Irish barley and grain farmers.

The Sodexo catering team based at Allstate in Belfast has won Bronze for the campaign it ran during Sodexo UK and Ireland’s recent WasteLESS Week Campaign. Pictured from left are Sean Craig, head chef;  Omolara Adeyemo, kitchen porter; Jonny Allen, barista; Emma Durrant, food services assistant/pastry chef;  Cormac Campbell-Beattie, barista and Tina McGovern, food services assistant/ breakfast chef. Front row l/r are Elaine Crawford, chef; Sharon Wade, team leader/WasteLESS Champion and Colm Daly, business manager for Sodexo@Allstate Belfast.

  WasteLESS Week is a five-day campaign run by Sodexo teams based on client sites worldwide. The objectives are to look at how much waste is generated on each site and what can be done to reduce it, in line with the company’s stated commitments to reducing waste worldwide over the next five years. On 1 February 2020, Sodexo UK & Ireland announced that it is removing products containing unrecyclable polystyrene and single use plastic bags from its supply chain, which includes all foodservice items such as takeaway boxes and cups.

TU Dublin Culinary Arts student, Tarran O’Reilly was awarded the Gold medal and Rising Star Award for his outstanding work and a bronze medal for his national dish at the 6th  World Young Chef Olympiad held in India.

 Pictured from left are   George Smith (Lecturer Culinary Arts TU Dublin), Dr Frank Cullen (Head of School, Culinary Arts & Food Technology, TU Dublin)  and Tarran O’Reilly (BA Culinary Arts Student TU Dublin, Gold & Bronze Medalist) & 

 Student chefs from over 55 countries competed in this international competition which was run over a five day period taking place in four of India’s major cities, including New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata.