Vol. 518 No. 6
443 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is liable for the costs of fencing the ruins of a castle in view of the fact it is protected under section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1994, and the subject of a preservation order; and if her Department or the Office of Public Works will carry out the fencing works. [12356/00]
The National Monuments Acts, 1930 to 1994, make general provision for the protection and preservation of national monuments. In the case of monuments not in the care of the State the onus is on any landowner who considers a particular monument on his/her land to be a potential hazard to make it safe, in accordance with the National Monuments Acts, or to fence it off. My Department is not in a position to provide financial assistance towards this type of work in respect of monuments in private ownership as all available resources are required for the preservation and protection of those monuments which are in the care of the State.
