James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 4, between lines 41 and 42, to insert the following:

4.—The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following section after section 5—

5A.—(1) The Minister shall cause to be established and maintained a register, to be known as the "National Monuments Register", of Monuments designated by him or her as being a National Monument (in this section referred to as the "Register").

(2) The Minister shall maintain the Register in such a form so that it is capable of being used to make a copy of any entry in the register.

(3) The Register shall be kept at such place as may be prescribed by the Minister and, subject to the payment of such fee as may be prescribed by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance

(a) the Register shall be made available for inspection by a person at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by the Minister, and

(i) where a request is made to the Minister for a certified or uncertified copy of, or extract from, an entry in the Register, the Minister shall issue a copy of the entry or extract to the applicant.

(4) The Minister may prescribe by regulations the form and content of the Register.

(5) The information to be prescribed by the Minister under subsection (4) shall include the following—

(a) name of the national monument,

(b) location of the monument,

(c) description of the national monument,

(d) name and address of present property owner,

(e) date of first entry to the register.

(6) The Minister may amend or delete an entry in the Register.

(7) As soon as may be after a site or location has been entered into the Register, the Minister shall cause to be published in Iris Oifigiúil details of the national monument which has been entered in the Register.

(8) As soon as may be after a site or location has been entered into the Register, notice of registration shall be sent to the last known owner of the property in which the monument is principally situate.'.".

This amendment deals with the establishment of a national monuments register of which I have already spoken and the designation of sites as of national, regional or local importance. This issue is broad and people have differing views on the status of monuments. The purpose of the amendment is to limit the definition of works to be undertaken so it can only extend to work carried out on behalf of the State at local authority level.

The Bill could hardly propose a less balanced approach to resolving the conflict as to whether infrastructure or national monuments should take precedence. There is a battle between these two perspectives and the acceptance of this amendment would provide clarity on this matter.