THE schedule of some schools returning in August is having a significant impact on local tourism in West Cork.
That’s according to Cllr Finbarr Harrington (Ind), who raised the issue at a meeting of Cork County Council’s West Cork Municipal District.
He made the case for reverting to the traditional practice of returning to school in September, for the sake of local businesses. While he accepted that the education system faces many pressures, he believes that the impact on tourism and hospitality needs to be considered and asked his fellow councillors for their support in writing to the Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton.
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‘We have a relatively short tourism season here, and businesses need to make the most of every week of it,’ he explained, ‘When children return to school earlier, families are less likely to take holidays or spend days away towards the end of August. That has a knock-on effect throughout the local economy.’
‘It is not just the accommodation providers that are affected. A family staying in West Cork will spend money in restaurants, cafés, pubs, shops, attractions and the many new experiences we now have across the region. When that visitor spending is reduced, the impact is felt right across our communities.’
Cllr Harrington highlighted B&Bs, guesthouses, hotels, restaurants, cafés, and pubs as businesses that are heavily impacted, stating that, ‘for many of these businesses, August is one of the most important months of the entire year’.
‘We have invested in making West Cork a great tourism destination, and we need to make sure our local businesses have the opportunity to benefit from that investment.’
Cllr Brendan McCarthy (FG) supported the motion, saying that he is a principal of a school that returns on September 1st for this very
reason.
He also understands the pressures that it causes local businesses, with his family being heavily involved in the hospitality sector, saying that it ‘definitely has an effect by shortening the season by a week or two weeks’.
Cllr George Gill (FF) added his support, saying that at least a ‘conversation should be had to see the Department’s viewpoint on it’.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
