Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)

The term cillín traditionally applies to an area of unconsecrated ground where unbaptised or stillborn children were interred. The origins of the practice are believed to date back to the medieval period. Graves were generally marked by simple, low, upright stones or slabs that usually lacked inscription or other carving.

All known cillíní are listed as children's burial grounds in the statutory record of monuments and places maintained by my Department in accordance with the requirements of the National Monuments Acts. In all, details of 1,393 cillíní are contained in the record.

Because of their inclusion in the record of monuments and places, cillíní are entitled to statutory protection under section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994. This provision requires any person intending to carry out work at or in relation to a recorded monument to provide the Minister with two months advance notice of the proposal. This allows my Department time to consider how the work may proceed in tandem with the protection of the particular monument. Failure to comply with the requirement to notify the Minister is an offence under the Acts and is subject to significant penalties.

I am advised that no proposals likely to impact on cillíní have been notified to my Department in recent years.

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