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

I move amendment No. 70:

In page 37, to delete lines 26 to 29 and substitute the following: “(a) such relevant things of a relevant interest known to the Minister as he or she is of the opinion are appropriate to be entered in the Register, and

(b) such prescribed monuments known to the Minister as he or she is of the opinion are appropriate to be entered in the Register.”.

The order of paragraphs (a) and (b) in section 14(3) are being swapped so as to bring further clarity as to the scope of relevant things eligible to be entered in the register of monuments. In the current draft, prescribed monuments are listed under paragraph (a), which is before "relevant things of relevant interest". This has led to a level of misinterpretation whereby it can mistakenly be assumed that a thing must first be a prescribed monument in order to be eligible for entry into the register. My hope is that by switching these paragraphs around, it will become clearer that either a relevant thing of relevant interest or a prescribed monument may be eligible for entry into the register.

Amendment No. 83 is another consequential amendment relating to the addition of "cultural interest" into the term "relevant interest". It updates the list of matters to be taken into consideration when registering monuments by the addition of "cultural interest".

Following a commitment I made during the Bill's passage through the Seanad, amendment No. 85 introduces "community value" into section 14(7). This will ensure that community value is taken into consideration when deciding on the entry of monuments into the register.

Amendment No. 88 is introduced to mirror section 8(2) but in respect of prescribed monuments instead of a relevant thing of relevant interest. It will mean that entries into the register can also include sites where the Minister reasonably believes there are or may be prescribed monuments.