Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Taking that information into consideration, there is an urgent need to ensure we have a dive team put on the wreckage that will move artefacts that are at risk of being lost for evermore. That is the key issue. If we have the capabilities within the Department to grant a licence then it must move with the community to ensure we have one major dive on the wreck and take what is there before it is lost forever. There is a major fear that small artefacts, in particular, could be lost unless the Department grants permission in the next four or five years, which is where this committee could work with the Department. It would be a tragedy for us to lose major items due to unfortunate weather or sea conditions. I ask Mr. Hayes to elaborate on how we could arrange a major dive to ensure we save these important pieces of history for evermore. How can that process happen? Is it possible?