Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. The Bill provides a new framework to modernise and bolster the law that provides for the protection of our archeological and related heritage. There is much work to be done on the Bill but it is an important piece of work.

In County Meath we have many archeological sites. In my own constituency of Meath East we have the High Cross of Kells, Knowth, Dowth, Newgrange and the historic site of Slane Castle. I will focus my comments on the Hill of Tara. I live in Tara. The Hill of Tara is an absolutely precious piece of heritage. It is unique in that it is a living monument. It is not paused in time. It is openly accessible. People use it every day, morning, noon and night. It is a popular attraction. In 2021 during Covid-19 there were more than 182,782 visitors to the site. However, it needs massive attention. On 29 June last year our local newspaper had an article headlined “The Hill of Tara: A Disgrace”, pointing to the dilapidated state of much of the infrastructure, particularly in regard to the works by the Office of Public Works, OPW around the graveyard wall which has been ongoing for almost a decade at this stage. We now have a long-awaited conservation management plan that has a number of important objectives which need significant cross-agency effort and energy. I support the plan. I have concerns that those agencies, ranging from the local authority to the OPW and many others, will not deliver on that plan. It is important that they do. Importantly, there is a need to expand on objective 3 which is to manage and enhance the visitor experience at the Hill of Tara. There needs to be a number of actions to ensure that not just within the State-owned lands but also the surrounding area, that the facility and accommodation is improved for visitors to this uniquely spectacular site.

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