A COUNCIL owned attraction in Co Tyrone has racked up more than £1.2 million in loses over the last three years.
The Hill of the O'Neill in Dungannon is operated by Mid Ulster District Council and is located on one of the most important historic sites in Ireland.
Sitting on a hilltop near Dungannon town centre, the site is a former stronghold of the once-powerful O'Neill clan.
Nearby Ranfurly House - which the council describes as a "gateway to the site" dates back to the 18th century and hosts a multi-media exhibition.
It attracts thousands of visitors each year but entry is free.
Details of the high running costs are revealed just weeks after it emerged another council owned attraction in Co Derry dedicated to the memory of poet Seamus Heaney is also operating in the red.
Bellaghy based HomePlace has suffered loses of £1m since opening its doors in September 2016.
Council figures reveal that from 2016/17 to January this year The Hill of the O'Neill had an expenditure of more than £1.4m.
During the same period it generated an income of about £214,000 - around £100,000 more than its income target.
The expenditure/income difference means that the site is operating at a loss of more than £1.2m.
Mid Ulster council has confirmed that the site has "an agreed annual running cost of approximately £500k" and that more than 164,000 people have visited the attraction over the past three years.
They say that at present, footfall stands at more than 295,000 over the same period.
SDLP councillor Denise Mullen last night said more should be done about the high cost of running the attraction.
"I am concerned about the amount of money lost in three years and would like to see more involvement from councillors," she said.
"There should be a committee formed to try and help advise on the way forward.
"The ratepayers' would be concerned about how much money is being lost."
A council spokeswoman last night said: "We would simply emphasise again that presenting performance in terms of `losses' is misleading.
"Both the Hill of the O'Neill and HomePlace are exceeding visitor and income targets and operating within their annual budgets, which are set and agreed by the council.
"The vast majority of arts, tourism and leisure facilities across the country operate in exactly the same way: with an agreed subvention."
