Vol. 502 No. 6
272 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if her atten tion has been drawn to the archaeological report received by her Department on behalf of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; if she will grant the necessary clearance to enable Sligo County Council to proceed with the planning application; if she will make a favourable decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8771/99]
Dúchas, the Heritage Service of my Department was notified last November by Sligo County Council of an application for outline planning permission in respect of the matter raised by the Deputy. Because of the proximity of the site to a ringfort which is protected under the National Monuments Acts, 1930-94, Dúchas, when replying to the County Council in December last, requested that an assessment of the proposed development be prepared by an archaeologist. This assessment was subsequently carried out.
The assessment report was received only recently by Dúchas who concurs with its recommendation in the report that their should be monitoring of all ground disturbance works in the southern part of the development site by a qualified archaeologist, in view of the closeness of the ringfort feature. Subject to archaeological monitoring being made a condition of planning permission, Dúchas has no objection to the proposed development now proceeding and has conveyed this recommendation formally to Sligo County Council.
273 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if an archaeological report will be carried out on a site (details supplied) in County Sligo before planning permission is granted in view of the fact the proposed development will interfere with and destroy significant archaeological features which are treasures and of major archaeological importance and interest the remains of which are clearly evident on site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8806/99]
An application for planning permission for a housing development has been referred by Sligo County Council to Dúchas, the Heritage Service of my Department in view of the fact that the development site encompasses a ringfort which is included in the Record of Monuments and Places for County Sligo and is thus protected under the National Monuments Acts, 1930-94.
