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Heritage Sites

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022

Tuesday, 5 April 2022

Ceisteanna (337)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

337. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to safeguard, protect and conserve ancient raths, also known as ringforts or fairy forts, particularly given the decision not to designate raths as areas for nature under the new iteration of the Common Agricultural Policy and the potential impact this could have on discouraging farmers from protecting raths on their land and given that half of the 60,000 raths have already been wiped out in recent decades; and if he has discussed or will discuss the matter with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Minister of State with special responsibility for land use and biodiversity, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media or with the Heritage Council given the importance of raths to heritage, land use, biodiversity, tourism and culture, with a view to ensuring their protection. [17954/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Under the provisions of the National Monuments Acts, my Department has established and maintains a Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) which affords legal protection to all recorded archaeological sites and monuments in the State, including those on agricultural land. I am advised that reports of the decision referred to were erroneous and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine has since clarified that all such monuments are to be included for payments under the next CAP, designated as landscape features. My Department’s National Monuments Service is engaging with DAFM over the CAP Strategic Plan and stands ready to further advise as to the role archaeological heritage may play in meeting the objectives of the new CAP.

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