asked the Minister for Education if he is satisfied that the archaeological excavations at Wood Quay, Dublin, are being conducted in a satisfactory manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
38.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Archaeological Excavations.
37.
asked the Minister for Education if he considers that the building of the civic offices in Wood Quay, Dublin, has been delayed sufficiently long to allow an adequate archaeological survey to be carried out on the site.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 38 together.
The archaeological excavations at Wood Quay accord with a plan agreed between Dublin Corporation and the National Museum. This plan takes into account the archaeological importance of the site and is being put into effect on a phased basis which allows development of the site by the corporation to commence. I understand that the excavations are being carried out by the officers of the museum to a high archaeological standard.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that competent archaeologists were disturbed and took to the media to advertise the fact that they were not satisfied with the arrangements made between Dublin Corporation and the National Museum?
I am aware that there has been a degree of controversy along those lines. The controversy relates to a strip of ground along Wood Quay near the road. I gather from the museum staff that this area is landfill; that the inhabitants of Dublin city built more and more out into the river in this area. By virtue of this fact it is not of the same archaeological interest as the land which was always dry land because it was a dump. The material there is in unstratified form. Because of this conclusions as to the age of particular items and their relevance to particular periods or to one another cannot be drawn as easily in relation to this particular area nearest the road as they can be drawn in relation to the area further back.
The museum have carried out substantial excavation in relation to a fairly large part of the area which is landfill and, therefore, are well aware of what they are likely to find there. They have mapped out and photographed the different revetments, the items of wood used to hold back the water. In the area which has been excavated in bulk, the area immediately nearest the road, they have retained certain smaller typical portions for investigation. That investigation is taking place at present. I saw officials carrying out excavations yesterday.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary tell me if as a result of the agitation there was a change of policy by his officials in the National Museum?
No.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the corporation co-operated with the officials of the National Museum as far as possible and, in fact, delayed the construction of the buildings?
Yes.
Might I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he would state categorically that he is quite satisfied with the manner in which the excavations are being proceeded with?
I am satisfied that the excavations are being carried out to a high archaeological standard. I should say that there are individual items likely to be lost in this area which is being excavated en bloc. I am not saying that there are not things of value which may be lost but I am saying that, relatively speaking, this area is not of as great a value at all as the areas further up. In order to allow the retaining wall to be built by the corporation, this area had to be excavated in this rather rapid fashion. The fact that the retaining wall is now being built by the corporation and the trench has been put there for that purpose has meant that there is much less flooding of the remainder of the site further back, which is important. If that retaining wall was not put there, excavation on that more important part of the site would not be able to take place to the same extent at all.
Question No. 39.
Are arrangements being made for the shifting of the material that is being removed in bulk?
Yes. I understand that the Museum have a number of archaeologists on the site. As this material was being taken out, the Museum staff were looking at it to ascertain whether or not there was anything of value——
What was it being taken out with, a spade?
Whether the actual material that is dumped somewhere else——
What was it being taken out with, spoons?
Whether the material which has been gathered from the heap has been individually sifted I cannot say. It would not be as easy to sift it to a valuable extent as it would be to sift material which was in situ, because it is being jumbled up and, therefore, it is not as easy to draw conclusions from it as it would be were one examining it in situ.
Question No. 39, please.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that the artifacts which would be found there would be just as valuable and could be dated by comparison with artifacts found on stratified parts of the site? Would they not be just as valuable as archaeological pieces?
Individual artifacts might be but one would not be able to draw the same archaeological conclusions at all from the contiguity of the different artifacts.
Can I take it from what the Parliamentary Secretary is saying that in fact the excavations are being carried out in the best possible manner?
The Deputy has already asked that question.
Yes.