Data relating to the numbers of discoveries of remains or features of archaeological interest arising solely from archaeological excavations licensed under Section 26 of the National Monuments Acts 1930 is not compiled or categorized separately by my Department. New archaeological discoveries come to light from a number of sources, including excavations. The total of recorded archaeological sites and monuments now numbers in excess of 140,000 and is added to regularly.
My Department issues archaeological licences under the terms of the National Monuments Acts having full regard to its Policy and Guidelines on Archaeological Excavations first published in 1999.
All excavation licences are issued on the basis that the investigations are for the purpose of searching for archaeological features and to provide for their subsequent recording or protection. A standard licence condition requires a report to be submitted to my Department on the results of each investigation. Summary reports are published in the independent Excavations Bulletin which contains certain annual data on archaeological discoveries made through individual excavations. Data from the Bulletin is available from 1969 onwards at www.excavations.ie.
