Jimmy Deenihan, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in the Irish Government, has announced that €1.1million is to be spent on the next phase of work involved in the restoration of Killarney House and Gardens.

The contract was awarded on 25 March to Ned O'Shea & Sons Ltd, of Tralee, Co Kerry, and work will start within a few days. It will include the conservation/reinstatement of historic pathways, including new stone paving.

This announcement follows the signing of a contract for the complete refurbishment of Killarney House itself at the start of the year. The contract signed on 25 March is the first phase of restoration works to the former Pleasure Grounds and Gardens, which will ultimately create spectacular landscaped areas that will merge into the natural areas of the Park and which will provide vistas linking the town to the scenery of mountain, wood and water.

These works will recreate a historically appropriate and beautiful setting for the refurbished Killarney House, which, when fully restored, will function as a Visitor Centre for the National Park, a feature of which is its geology trail.

The house will have a new extension that will be an educational interpretative centre for the National Park. Within the house there will be space for temporary exhibitions, displays and cultural events, and a number of reception rooms will be reinstated to accommodate original furniture that is currently in storage.

Minister Deenihan has welcomed the imminent commencement of the landscaping project. “I am delighted to announce that this further phase of work to Killarney House and Gardens is to commence within the next few days.

"Killarney House and Gardens has the potential to become an attraction of national and international importance. The restored pleasure grounds and gardens will be truly spectacular. They will provide a historically appropriate and beautiful setting for the restored Killarney House and will rival anything either in Ireland or abroad."

The project will strengthen the relationship between Killarney National Park and Killarney Town. It will make Killarney House and Gardens one of the top attractions in the region and the additional tourism created will benefit the local economy and result in the creation of as many as 90 more long-term jobs.