Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I wish to share time with Senator Ó Murchú. Perhaps the Chair would let me know when five minutes have elapsed.

There has been a certain hand-wringing quality to this debate. I intend to be brisk in more senses than one. I compliment the Minister on his speech which gives a detailed explanation not alone of the legislation, but of the background. I also compliment Senator Bannon on his activity in the Longford Historical Society. I am a member of the Tipperary Historical Society. I have no idea what type of car the Senator drives, but one can be a motorist and be committed to history and archaeology.

The relationship between the National Roads Authority and archaeology is like that between the devil and holy water. It wants to avoid it if at all possible. Where the archaeology is visible, for example, at the Rock of Cashel, it has been given a very wide berth so there is no question of damage to the monument or to visibility from the monument that would spoil the views and perspectives around it. It is a deep paradox that just as the National Roads Authority plants more trees than any other body, with the exception of Coillte, it is by far the largest patron of archaeology in this country. I almost fear to think what the archaeological profession would do without the National Roads Authority.

One important provision of the Bill is that it allows more flexibility without going back to square one. That seems to be in favour of rather than against the interests of archaeology.