Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2022
65. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason Inis Cealtra Holy Island and the Burren, respectively, were not included in the UNESCO tentative list when they were adjudged to fulfil the criteria for inclusion on the previous tentative list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46814/22]
View answerMy Department initiated a review of Ireland’s Tentative List in 2019, following UNESCO advice to do so at least every ten years.
As you may be aware six applications were received by the 30 June 2021 deadline:
1. The Cultural Landscape of the Burren Uplands, County Clare;
2. Iniscealtra (Inis Cealtra), County Clare;
3. Trans-Atlantic Cable Ensemble: Valentia, County Kerry-Heart's Content, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada;
4. Royal Sites of Ireland;
5. The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo;
6. Glendalough Valley, County Wicklow (Wicklow County Council subsequently paused their application pending completion of the Glendalough Master Plan).
In July 2021 I appointed an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to evaluate each application on their ability to demonstrate potential Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and evidence of local stakeholder support, both of which are essential for inscription on the World Heritage List.
The EAG’s recommendations were issued to the applicants in November 2021. A Technical Group (TG) was also established in 2022 to offer specific technical advice to the applicants in relation to the EAG recommendations and UNESCO processes. After thorough assessment this process enabled a final decision on the composition of the new Tentative List.
The EAG acknowledged that the Burren has the potential to fill a gap on the World Heritage List, however, it recommended that the potential OUV needed to be demonstrated by focussing on the criteria for assessment of OUV, authenticity/integrity, and the protection and management aspects of a potential World Heritage property. Also, as the original application was submitted by Clare County Council, a revised application needs to be drafted to incorporate aspects of the Galway Burren to ensure a coherent mutually balanced approach. My Department is committed to supporting Clare and Galway County Councils to develop this application further and looks forward to receiving a revised joint application to the Tentative List. The Burren is therefore not precluded from being on the Tentative List in the future.
In relation to Iniscealtra the EAG recommended that it could be included on the Tentative List if the potential OUV was clearly demonstrated. However, although it demonstrated that it was nationally significant, the Technical Group process concluded that a robust narrative for OUV was not sufficiently demonstrated, and that any future proposal to submit Iniscealtra to the Tentative List should be based on a strong comparative analysis, supported by more detailed research, and possibly its consideration as part of a coherent and credible serial site application, (it is worth noting that previously Iniscealtra was not on the TL by itself, but was part of a serial application site, the Early Monastic Sites).
Furthermore my Department is currently working on publishing a Technical Evaluation Assessment which will outline the Tentative List revision process and details the exact reasoning behind the composition of the new Tentative List. When completed is will be available online at World Heritage Ireland at www.worldheritageireland.ie.
