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Thursday, 6 Mar 2014

Written Answers Nos. 1-15

Heritage Centres

Ceisteanna (8, 17, 20, 139)

Eamonn Maloney

Ceist:

8. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in relation to the proposed cultural and heritage centre for College Green, the person responsible for the provision of historical content; the content that will be exhibited and-or historical experience facilitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10645/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Kevin Humphreys

Ceist:

17. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when he expects the proposed cultural and heritage centre for College Green to open; the budget he has provided for same; the type of exhibits he expects to be put on display; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10631/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Eamonn Maloney

Ceist:

20. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in relation to the proposed cultural and heritage centre for College Green, the new positions that will be created; if the Office of Public Works will be responsible for these positions along the lines of other cultural buildings; if they will be publicly advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10646/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Ceist:

139. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans for a cultural centre at College Green, Dublin, in view of recent media reports that Bank of Ireland is now co-operating with the Minister's original plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10845/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 17, 20 and 139 together.

As the Deputies are aware, following ongoing discussions between my Department and the Bank of Ireland, I recently announced a partnership between the Bank of Ireland and my Department to create a new Cultural and Heritage Centre at Parliament Buildings, College Green. The Bank of Ireland at College Green is one of the most iconic buildings in Dublin City. It was the first purpose-built Parliament in Europe, completed in 1739, and served as Ireland’s Parliament until the Act of Union in 1801.

The space for the Centre will be made available to the State for a ten year period, to run alongside the Decade of Centenaries. It is envisaged that exhibitions at the Centre will include a significant focus on key events in Irish history – up to the centenary of the Civil War – which led to the creation of modern Ireland, whilst also including a strong cultural component.

Bank of Ireland will cover the costs of refurbishing the space and operating the Centre. My Department, in partnership with the Bank, will manage, operate and animate the Centre. I very much welcome Bank of Ireland's decision to make the space available and would like to thank it for strongly supporting this initiative.

I will shortly be establishing an expert committee drawn from the National Cultural Institutions and other city institutions to advise me on a suitable programme of exhibitions and events at the new Centre. This programme will have a significant focus on the social, economic and political events of the Decade of Centenaries.

As the matter is at an early stage of development, it would be premature to offer specifics about the programme of events or the operation of the Centre, in advance of the discussions of the expert committee. However, I believe the Centre will have a significant impact on enriching the cultural programme during the Decade of Centenaries over the next 10 years.

Heritage Sites

Ceisteanna (9, 165)

Thomas Pringle

Ceist:

9. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on progressing any sites included in the tentative list to nomination under the world heritage list for UNESCO status; his plans to add additional sites to the tentative list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10740/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

165. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the sites that have been selected as potentially suitable to apply for recognition as UNESCO world heritage sites from his Departments tentative list; and following the recent seminar held by his Departmental officials with local authorities, if the Howth Peninsula, Baldoyle Bay and the Velvet Strand will be added to the Irish list of potential sites. [10556/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 165 together.

UNESCO sets out a formal process for State signatories to the World Heritage Convention to nominate properties for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The nomination process is initiated by the State authorities drawing up a Tentative List of what they consider to be the most important heritage sites within their national boundaries. A particular criterion is that a site must be considered to be of outstanding universal value, defined by UNESCO as meaning of “cultural and or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity.

Following a public consultation process and consideration by an expert advisory group, a new Tentative List for Ireland was approved and submitted to UNESCO in March 2010 containing the following sites:

- The Burren;

- The Céide Fields and the North West Mayo Boglands;

- The Monastic City of Clonmacnoise and its Cultural Landscape;

- The Historic City of Dublin;

- Early Medieval Monastic Sites;

- The Royal Sites of Ireland, including potentially Navan Fort in Armagh; and

- The Western Stone Forts.

The nomination of a property to the World Heritage List is a significant undertaking that requires the development of comprehensive nomination documentation, including a management plan for the property. Following submission of a nomination to UNESCO, it is evaluated by three advisory bodies:

- the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS);

- the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); and

- the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property(ICCROM).

Once the site has been evaluated, the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee makes the final decision regarding the site’s inclusion on the World Heritage List.

In order to further progress the nomination process, I hosted a seminar in September 2013 to consider the extent of local interest in pursuing World Heritage nomination for the sites on the current Tentative List and to clarify all the elements involved in applying for and retaining such status. On foot of the seminar, my Department has been in ongoing contact with relevant local authorities and community representatives to further clarify the significant research and other requirements involved in preparing nomination documentation. I am confident that this process will create a substantive basis for advancing one or more sites from the current Tentative List towards inscription on the World Heritage list.

Against that background, my immediate priority will be to achieve progress with UNESCO inscriptions from the current Tentative List and it would be premature at this point to speculate as to when the next review of the Tentative List might take place.

Questions Nos. 10 to 14, inclusive answered orally.

Natural Heritage Areas Designation

Ceisteanna (15)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

15. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will list the bogs that he plans to close to turf cutting on foot of the publication of the review of raised bog natural heritage areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10560/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Review of Ireland’s Raised Bog Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs), which is available to download from my Department’s website at www.ahg.gov.ie, provides details on future arrangements regarding turf cutting on each of the 75 raised bog NHAs. Based on a comprehensive scientific assessment, the Review has proposed a reconfiguration of the network of raised bog NHAs, including the complete or partial de-designation of 46 existing NHAs and the designation of new sites to ensure that the conservation value of the network is enhanced.

In addition, 36 raised bog NHAs, or parts of raised bog NHAs, were found to have the best habitat and the fewest number of turf-cutters. These sites, which are listed in my Department's Review, will be conserved with turf-cutting being restricted to existing levels and phased out over three years. Turf-cutters on these sites will require consent from my Department before cutting this year.

My Department has written directly to over 3,600 landowners who may have an interest in these NHAs where consent will be required from this year. Site maps were enclosed with those letters, as well as advice on how to obtain an application form for the compensation scheme or consent to continue cutting. Last week, notices explaining future turf cutting arrangements on these sites were placed in local newspapers which circulate in the areas where these bogs are located.

25 new sites will be proposed for designation as raised bogs NHAs to replace the habitats lost through de-designation of the more heavily cut sites. Many of these are in public ownership or have relatively few or no turf cutters. Land-owners potentially affected by these new proposed designations will be contacted later this year and will be given an opportunity to appeal the inclusion of their lands within the NHA.

Any turf-cutter required to cease turf-cutting on an NHA is being offered compensatory measures similar to those available to turf-cutters from raised bog Special Areas of Conservation. Compensation will be made available immediately to active turf-cutters on affected sites.

Application forms for the compensation scheme or for permits to continue cutting over the next 3 years will be available on request from my Department.

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