Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 Jun 2000

Vol. 520 No. 4

Written Answers. - Local Authority Archaeologists.

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

180 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if any local authority is receiving funding from her Department to employ an archaeologist on a permanent basis; the local authorities who have such employees; and the action she is taking to ensure local authorities take on such personnel. [15968/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera):

Cork Corporation is currently the only local authority in which an archaeologist is co-funded by my Department. A number of other local authorities retain the services of archaeologists, not all of whom are involved in planning. These are Dublin Corporation, Cork County Council, Limerick County Council, Limerick Corporation and Mayo County Council.

My Department is in correspondence with the Department of the Environment and Local Government in regard to the employment by local authorities of archaeologists. At the same time, I am looking at a repositioning of the archaeological services in my Department to see how these can best complement the activities of the local authorities in this area. My Department also raised this issue with the County Managers' Association in December 1999, but no response has been received to date.

This approach will encourage local authorities to take a more direct interest in the protection of their own archaeological heritage, thereby providing a more efficient and effective management of the archaeological resource. The appointments which have been made to date have not only acted to provide advice and assistance to local authorities and developers on proposals for new developments in a more "hands-on" way but they have been very successful in heightening awareness of the existence of and the need to protect sites of archaeological interest.