The OPW have had to install around 100 metres of new crash deck on Skellig Michael to protect visitors amid “significant concern” over repeated rock falls on the island.
The UNESCO world heritage site – which has become increasingly popular with tourists since featuring in Star Wars – had to be shut temporarily in June after a rock measuring half a metre by half a metre tumbled onto a walkway.
Reports from the OPW warned that rockfalls would continue to be an “ongoing problem” and that it would never be possible to remove all risks from falling debris on the island, but only mitigate them.
An inspection report completed in the summer said: “This fact is obviously significant in health and safety terms with the requirement that the mitigation to deal with it must be as comprehensive as possible and should be put in place immediately as required.”