Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank both Senators for their comments and their positive response to the proposals. In response to Senator Boyhan, it would be at Dáil stage that we would look at those amendments on Valletta. I welcome his comments on what we propose. It is being brought forward on foot of the conversations we had here at the last session. That is important. I appreciate the contributions of Senators to strengthening the Bill, particularly in relation to the Valletta Convention.

On Senator Higgins's comments, intangible cultural heritage has been brought up again but no aspect of this Bill covers such heritage. Such provisions would fall outside the scope of the Bill. We gave a commitment the last day to review, in advance of Dáil Committee Stage, the issue of cultural interests and the definition of "relevant things", which covers sites giving information about past environments. The cultural context the Senator referred to is critical. All these artefacts, objects and archaeological sites are formed out of a cultural context of a time. It is important to reflect that.

This is the correct approach. The Heritage Council is a statutory body and I have every confidence in its role, regardless of where this Ministry sits in a future government. The Oireachtas joint committee will always be in a position to track the progress of Heritage Ireland 2030 as an overarching policy around Ireland’s heritage but I believe the Heritage Council has sufficient expertise with regard to the register.