Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 3 October 2018
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Mid-Year Review of Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Discussion
1:30 pm
Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister had the opportunity to visit Dowth Hall during the blazing warm summer. It was wonderful to see the national monuments that were found at the site, including Neolithic art in stone. I hope it will be protected so that future generations will be able to see the heritage there. However, I am told that the German Government currently spends more on research and investigation into these types of monuments in County Meath than the Irish Government. Could the Government put in place funding streams to enable archaeologists and experts to further investigate the heritage of the area? The Minister will recall that during the dry weather in the summer a drone was able to identify a circle feature hidden underground. The area has a large amount of valuable heritage and archaeology. It is startling that the German Government is spending more on research in the area than the Irish Government.