Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018
1098. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made since the review of archaeological survey and mitigation policy 2013 relating to Bord na Móna peatlands since 1990 (details supplied). [12958/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1099. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made since the review of archaeological survey and mitigation policy 2013 relating to Bord na Móna peatlands since 1990 in integrating archaeological and palaeoenvironmental datasets on site specific and inter-regional scales which is required to make a determination of the contribution this work can make to palaeohydrology, climate change and human activity. [12959/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1100. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made in developing an overarching research framework for future archaeological works since the 2013 review of archaeological survey and mitigation policy relating to Bord na Móna peatlands since 1990. [12960/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1101. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made in developing a bespoke database designed for the results of archaeological work in Bord na Móna’s peatland as recommended in the 2031 review of archaeological survey and mitigation policy relating to Bord na Móna peatlands since 1990. [12962/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1098 to 1101, inclusive, together.
The 2013 Review of Archaeological Survey and Mitigation Policy was commissioned by my Department to assess and analyse the contribution that archaeological survey and excavation work in Bord na Móna peatlands since 1991 had made to our understanding of Ireland’s archaeology in both dry and wetland environments. The Review also considered whether and to what extent different archaeological survey and excavation strategies and methods would increase or enhance the contribution from such surveys and excavations in the future. The Review compared Irish peatland excavations with best practice internationally.
In light of the results of the analysis, the Review proposed priorities, strategies and methods for future archaeological survey and excavation in Bord Na Móna peatlands, including the development of an overarching research framework. Since 2013, as part of that framework, my Department has prioritised the completion of first round survey work in those areas of the Bord Na Móna peatlands not previously surveyed, including the identification of new archaeological discoveries. With a view to preserving suitable peatland monuments in situ, the Department also commissioned survey work in 2016 and 2017 to examine how varying prospection techniques, both geophysical and manual, can best be applied to Irish peatlands.
Additionally, in consultation with the National Museum of Ireland, my Department commissioned survey work in 2013 in a location where numerous bog bodies had been found in order to examine the potential for methodical field surveys to identify human remains. My Department is currently preparing a tender to review Class 1 toghers that traverse bogs and that form prehistoric and historic routeways across the country. The results of this work will inform proposals for future excavation and preservation in situ of that suite of monuments.
The Review recommends that all archives should be standardised and synthesised and that a comprehensive database should be developed for all archaeological work in Bord na Móna peatlands. However, my Department’s view is that the national dataset in relation to peatland archaeology is best placed within the existing dataset of all monuments. This will facilitate the production of a comprehensive and fully integrated Sites and Monuments Record for the purposes of the National Monuments Acts. Those monument types regularly identified in peatland environments have been classified in a manner that will allow them to be distinguished from other classes of monuments so as to enhance the research potential offered by my Department’s Historic Environment Viewer which enables the viewer to examine individual and national mapped monument records online.
The Review also identified issues in relation to reporting on excavations. In response to this, Bord na Móna’s Peatlands Post-Ex Project 2000-2013 was established. This relates to 153 individual licensed excavations of 171 monuments, which were investigated between 2000 and 2013. I understand that all preliminary reports have been submitted and that a contract for the final reporting phase of the project has now been awarded by Bord na Móna. It is expected that all outstanding work will be completed by June 2019.
All final reports licensed by my Department since 2013 in relation to Bord na Móna peatlands have included a range of specialist analyses, including palaeoenvironmental sampling to retrieve as much information as possible about the local and regional landscape, environment and climatic context of the sites. This multi-proxy approach included specialist wood analysis, plant macrofossil work on peat cores and samples, and insect remains analysis. The work was carried out by leading experts and has been integrated into rigorously dated contextual information.
