Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise to praise Michael Lanigan of the Dublin Inquirerfor an article being run today on the cromlech, or dolmen, in Chapelizod. This is one of the oldest pieces of evidence of people living in the Chapelizod area. It dates back as much as 3,000 years. It was repaired in the 1970s because it was damaged. At that time, people were a little vague about what was urgent, what was important and what constituted heritage. We had Wood Quay and all of that. In reply to a parliamentary question tabled in 2006, the then Minister for Finance stated that there was no risk of damage to the cromlech but that the Government would look at putting up a little sign. For as long as I have been in the Seanad, I have been working with Chapelizod Heritage Society, Chapelizod Tidy Towns and Chapelizod Old Village Association in order to have this matter prioritised. A heritage site of this importance should be cared for and minded. I asked for fencing around the cromlech and for its heritage to be supported. This did not happen. Two weeks ago, there were track marks found beside it and a whole chunk of it is gone. That chunk was picked up by the OPW, and all of a sudden there is a fence around the cromlech. It should not take for our heritage to be damaged for us to act. I have been in correspondence with the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. We have received letters saying the OPW will look at it and it will be prioritised, etc. It never is until it is too late. Damage has been done when all that was required was a simple fence. People have been using it, sitting on it, having picnics on it, and doing whatever, not realising that this is something of incredible historical value. I would like a debate in this House on our heritage. I would like to hear from the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, on how we prioritise matters of this nature and what the mechanism is for ensuring that that which is of value to our State and to the people of Ireland is valued by the offices that are supposed to be looking after it.