Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 May 2000

Vol. 518 No. 6

Written Answers. - Archaeological Sites.

John Bruton

Ceist:

163 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a report in relation to his Department's proposals in relation to the Battle of the Boyne sites in Louth and Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12692/00]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

My colleague and predecessor, Deputy David Andrews, formed an interdepartmental committee made up of representatives of the Departments of Foreign Affairs, the Taoiseach, Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, the Environment and Local Government, Finance, the Office of Public Works and Bord Fáilte to examine how best to develop the historic site. The committee is chaired by a senior official from my Department and its last meeting was held on Friday, 28 April.

The Taoiseach announced on 5 December 1999 that the Government had agreed in principle to purchase the site of the Battle of the Boyne. The Office of Public Works is in the process of completing the formalities for the purchase of the Oldbridge Estate and it is hoped that these will be completed within a matter of weeks.

The heritage service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands is responsible for the development and operation of the site in line with proposals to be drawn up by the committee referred to above. Consultants were appointed by the heritage service to carry out a planning study for the battlefield site and they have placed advertisements in newspapers, North and South, inviting individuals and groups to make submissions to them in regard to the study. The consultants have been advised that the report should be produced by the end of July and this will inform the committee's deliberations on how to interpret and develop the site.

A number of other measures have been and are being implemented at present to make the area more accessible to visitors. These are principally the erection of special signs at various points of interest around the area, some small-scale road improvements – small lay-byes to facilitate usage of the signs, surface repairs etc. – and work has commenced on the preparation of a visitors leaflet.