Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2004
624 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the main activities of the Dúchas underwater archaeology unit in 2004; if it publishes an annual report; the details of the main equipment available to the unit; and the details of salaries and the amounts expended to date for travel and subsistence by those involved in the unit. [28681/04]
View answerThe underwater archaeology unit is part of the heritage and planning division of my Department. Its main duties in 2004 involve: advising on applications to dive on wrecks; assessing development-related impacts on underwater archaeological sites; undertaking archaeological surveys of wreck sites in order to assess their nature and condition and to devise appropriate management strategies for them; examining threats to underwater sites when reported; and compiling and publishing an inventory of shipwrecks around our coast.
The activities of the underwater archaeology unit are outlined in my Department's annual report. The main equipment available to the unit may be described as follows: (1) scuba dive equipment with lifelines and through water communications system, dry suits, regulators and stab jackets; (2) full surface supplied equipment with diver panels, back-up air bank, hard wire communications system and compressors; (3) two boats — RIB and Pioneer Multi — and an inflatable — Yamaha — with attendant engines, flares and GPS navigational system; and (4) miscellaneous safety equipment — oxygen kit, life jackets and surface marker buoys.
The underwater archaeology unit has a staff of three archaeologists who are proficient in diving, one at senior archaeologist level — pay scale €49,497 to €61,504, and two at archaeologist level — pay scale €26,944 to €52,881. To date, the unit has expended €12,415 on travel and subsistence for 2004.
