THE OFFICE of Public Works says it is continuing to negotiate with ferry operators to Skellig island over contentious new safety recommendations.
Private ferry operators to Skellig Michael off Co Kerry have ruled out using a single departure point for the 12km journey to the Unesco world heritage site.
They also challenging the inclusion of OPW safety information, saying visits to the site outside of the OPW’s official season were prohibited.
The ending of the “multiplicity” of departure sites is one of the key recommendations of an independent safety review commissioned by the OPW following the separate deaths of two American tourists there last year.
The review recommended a single centre of departure so that the “safe induction of recreational users can be established on the mainland”.
It noted that one of the deaths last year – that of Joseph Gaughan (77) from Pennsylvania – occurred out of season, when there was no OPW presence on the Skellig.
Among its recommendations were that the official opening times of the site should be published in the national newspapers and literature.
However ferry operators, with whom the OPW is involved in a long-running dispute over the transfer of permits, accuse the OPW of trying to shorten the season.
Kenneth Roddy, spokesman for the boat operators, said the traditional season for over 40 years ran from April 1st to the end of October, but the OPW was attempting to cut it by some months.
Last year it opened on May 18th and ended in September. This year it opened on May 25th, he said.