John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1372 to 1375, inclusive, together.

In May 2006, my Department, in its role as prescribed body under the relevant planning regulations, was notified by Meath County Council in accordance with the provisions of Part 8 of those regulations of its intention to carry out the development referred to in the questions. My Department's National Monuments Service advised the Council that the proposed development was within the zone of archaeological potential established around the town of Nobber and recommended to the Council that an archaeological impact assessment of the proposed development site be carried out to assess the potential impact, if any, of the development on archaeological remains in the area where the development was proposed. This recommendation was not acted upon by the Council, who did not notify the Department of their decision in the matter, as requested.

During the course of the subsequent construction works the National Monuments Service was contacted by a local resident and was informed that archaeological material had been uncovered at the site. My Department contacted the local authority about the implications of what had been uncovered and the local authority then employed an archaeologist to monitor further works at the development site.

Following confirmation of the presence of archaeological features at the site, a licence for archaeological excavations to determine the nature and extent of those features and to assist in deciding on any measures that might be possible at that stage to mitigate the archaeological impacts of the works was applied for by a firm of archaeological consultants on behalf of the Council. The licence was issued by my Department in late April 2007. Subsequently, the National Monuments Service agreed a programme of further monitoring and recording with the Council's archaeological consultant in July 2007. The full programme of archaeological works was concluded in December 2007. A post-excavation preliminary report required as a condition of the excavation licence is due to be completed by the Council's archaeological consultant in February 2008 and submitted to my Department.

The determination of the costs of the archaeological works is a matter for Meath County Council in the first instance in consultation with its archaeological consultants. As funding for this local authority housing development is being provided by my Department to Meath County Council the Department has requested a breakdown of all relevant costs, including archaeological costs.

I have asked my Department to seek an urgent report from the local authority in relation to this issue.