Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. We are aware there is already a national monument at Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street. Works are ongoing to put funding in place to develop it and for the conservation and interpretation of that site. There is already protection in existing legislation for sites such as Moore Street. Where the Bill would have a role is that there are added elements in terms of licensing for works around the curtilage of such sites. There is an innovation in the Bill with regard to sites of archaeological interest and sites that could be described as prescribed monuments. If they are identified by members of the public to the national monument service, they will be provided a level of protection once they are on the register of monuments. This is one of the key innovations in the legislation with regard to other sites. I will ask Mr. MacDonagh or Ms Foley to give more detail on this.