Vol. 486 No. 1
708 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will instruct the Office of Public Works to sanction the building of a hammer-dressed stone altar at the Old Abbey, Aughagower, Westport, County Mayo. [1859/98]
It would not be appropriate to sanction the building of a stone altar at Aghagower Church which is a national monument in State ownership. Under the provision of the Church Temporalities Act, 1869, I am precluded from providing for religious services at national monuments which came into State ownership under that Act. I should point out that all functions regarding heritage matters have been transferred from the Office of Public Works to my Department since 1996.
