Office of Public Works - Member Profile One of the responsibilities of The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the protection and conservation of Ireland’s built heritage. This is administered by the Heritage Services division of the OPW and Visitor Services.
The primary role of OPW Visitor Services is to assist in the protection of the built heritage sites that are managed by OPW and in the presentation of those sites to the public. There are currently more than 700 such sites including national monuments, gardens and houses.
The objectives of Visitor Services are achieved principally by:
Recruiting and training a quality guide service. Providing appropriate publications. Undertaking promotional and marketing initiatives.
A Guide Service is provided at many OPW managed heritage sites. Over 2 million people visit the staffed sites annually, of which a high percentage are from overseas. Many millions also visit the non-staffed sites annually. Independent market research that has been undertaken has confirmed the very high satisfaction ratings of visitors to the staffed sites in respect of the friendliness and helpfulness of the Guides and the tours provided.
Visitor Services also has responsibility for the maintenance of a website, www.heritageireland.ie, that provides visitor information in relation to the staffed OPW managed heritage sites.
Dermot Burke is Director of Heritage Services with the OPW and he is a member of the ITIC Council.
February 2008
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