asked the Minister for Finance in respect of each of the seven archaeological excavations stated in his reply to parliamentary Question No. 24 of 29 May where no report from the archaeologist in charge has been received in accordance with the provision of section 23 of the National Monuments Act, 1930: (i) the name of the archaeologist; (ii) the location of the excavation; (iii) the date of the excavation; (iv) the amount, if any, of State grants paid to the archaeologist and (v) if any further grant of public funds or excavation licence has been given to the archaeologist in question since the date upon which the report became due.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Archaeological Excavations.
19.
Reports have since been received in respect of five of the seven archaeological excavations referred to in the question.
On the two remaining excavations, one was conducted by Mr. L. de Paor, at St. Mel's Church, Ardagh, County Longford, in 1967 for which he was given a State grant of £3,600. Since then, from 1970-1977, Mr. de Paor has conducted extensive excavations at Inish Cealtra monastic site, County Clare, which is a national monument in the care of the Commissioners of Public Works. During that period State grants totalling £35,754 were paid to him and eight licences were issued to him in respect of these excavations.
The other excavation was carried out by Dr. R.E. Glasscock in 1968-70 at two churches at Leigh, County Tipperary, and he received a State grant of £3,700 in respect of it. No further grant from public funds or excavation licence has been given to him.
Would the Minister consider it right to continue to give State grants and excavation licences to archaeologists who have failed to furnish reports which legally they are bound to furnish in respect of excavations undertaken already on foot of State money?
In September last when I had an opportunity of considering this whole question of archaeology I issued instructions to officials of my Department not to issue any further money to archaeologists who had not first submitted a report to my Department.
May we take it that the archaeologist in question will not receive any further licence or grant until such time as a report is submitted to the Department?
I assure the Deputy that no further licence will be issued to any archaeologist without the archaeologist submitting a report first to the Department.