Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2022
25. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications received in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, inclusive, for diving survey licences to enable the diving of a protected wreck; the number of licences that were issued in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47194/22]
View answerSection 3(4) of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1987 prohibits tampering with, damage to, removal of, diving on, survey of, salvage of or depositing anything on a wreck more than 100 years old or an underwater archaeological object without a licence issued under section 3(5) of the Act. Similar provisions apply under section 3(3) of the Act in relation to areas which have been made subject to Underwater Heritage Orders made under section 3(1) of the Act and such Orders can be made in respect of wrecks of any date. The scheme of protection applies both in inland waters and within the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone of the State.
In 2018, 131 applications for licences under section 3 of the Act of 1987 were received in the National Monuments Service of my Department of which 130 were approved. In 2021, 90 applications were received of which 81 were approved. So far this year 78 applications have been received and 63 approved.
It should be noted that archaeological excavation and use of detection devices for archaeological purposes are also subject to regulation under the National Monuments Acts, underwater as well as on land.
