Dr. Mark Clinton:

If we are looking for the top guns in Irish archaeology, we will find them in the Royal Irish Academy and the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. They are the recognised bodies and it is up to them to say, for example, that for this new monument that seems to be very important, "To this meeting, we are sending Professor whoever". If it is prehistoric, they could send someone like Professor Emeritus John Waddell or Professor William O'Brien of UCC, but it would depend on the monument. These organisations could send along totally independent experts on the particular monument, so it can be monument-specific. In this day and age, of course, there should be other bodies on it, but only so long as they are independent, with no conflicting interests and a recognised expertise in that field.