Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 October 2023
227. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of skeletons removed from an island (details supplied); whether it is intended to return all of them for reburial or only some; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45964/23]
View answerA series of ancient human remains were excavated from Omey island in 1992-93 as part of a rescue excavation. The rescue excavation was commissioned because burials were being washed away by continuing coastal erosion and the entire site with all those buried there at risk of being lost to the sea. Scientific dating of the burials indicates that these remains date to between the 7th and 13th/15th centuries AD. The excavation was carried out under licence issued under the National Monuments Acts and the ancient remains are archaeological objects under law, to be cared for on the State’s behalf by the National Museum.
In response to understandable local calls for further information I am advised that the remains have been recently transferred from UCD to the National Museum Collections Resource Centre in Swords, Co. Dublin where a process of re-cataloguing of the remains is currently being finalised by the National Monuments Service (NMS) of my Department. This includes reviewing the specialist osteoarchaeological analyses that have been carried out to date, and liaising with UCD and specialists who carried out some specialist work in the past on the remains. Focus is now on assessing what further specialist analysis of the human remains is required, so that all, in particular the modern inhabitants of Omey, may properly understand the lives and deaths of those buried at this site in the distant past. It is tentatively estimated that this forensic-level expert analysis may take 12-18 months to procure and complete.
It is acknowledged that there is a wish to return these remains to the island and the NMS has been in contact with various individuals from the local community on the matter. I understand that discussions with the National Museum on potential reburial of some of the remains will take place following the completion of necessary full analyses of the remains.
