Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - National Monuments.

John Bruton

Ceist:

870 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands when and the reason she made temporary national monument preservation orders regarding monuments at Bettystown, Ardmulchan, Navan and Townparks, Navan, County Meath; the nature and historical significance of the monuments in question; the ownership of the monuments; the person or group responsible for their maintenance in each case; and if and when it is intended that the temporary preservation order will be made permanent in each case. [1360/02]

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

The following is the information requested by the Deputy in respect of the three individual sites detailed in the question.

Planning permission was granted with specific conditions in relation to archaeological investigations for a development which lies within the archaeological extent of a recorded monument – reference ME021: 010 cemetery – at Bettystown, County Meath. On a visit to the site an archaeologist from my Department reported that construction work had started on site without a licensed archaeological presence. Following this site visit a temporary preservation order dated 31 October 2000 was placed on the site to protect the archaeology. Following resolution of the matter the temporary preservation order was allowed to lapse after a period of six months.

There is a recorded monument in State care in the townland of Ardmulchan. It is a ringfort or earthwork set on a high ridge overlooking the River Boyne. The monument was considered to be at risk due to quarrying and the use of machinery in the vicinity and a temporary preservation order dated 12 January 2001 was placed covering a buffer area around the site to prevent any further damage. Since this time regular monitoring of the quarry has taken place and agreement was reached with the landowner to have the boundary wall stabilised. In view of this the temporary preservation order has been allowed to lapse. The matter is, however, being kept under regular review.

Development was proposed within a zone of archaeological potential at Athboy, County Meath – Site Monument Record No 29:023 – and adjacent to upstanding portions of the medieval town wall. The planning authority had attached a condition for archaeological monitoring to the grant of planning permission, while my Department had requested a full archaeological assessment due to the nature of the site It was reported to my Department that work had commenced on site in the absence of the appropriate archaeological mitigation. As a result of this report, and following detailed consideration of the matter, a temporary preservation order dated the 10 August 2001 was placed on the site in order to protect the archaeology and ensure that proper archaeological licensing procedures were followed. As these issues have now been resolved and work has re-commenced on site, the temporary preservation order is being allowed to lapse.

All three of the sites referred to are in private ownership and, as such, responsibility for maintenance etc, rests with the owners and their agents.