Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on making funding available for work at a historical building (details supplied) in County Donegal; when the national monuments Bill will be put to Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4006/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My Department has no record of any request for funding for works to Kilmacrennan Abbey. Any such request would be considered by my Department having regard to the available funds under the built heritage capital grant schemes, the overall demand for funding and the relative importance of the works as compared to other project proposals; it should be noted, in this regard, that Kilmacrennan Abbey is not contained in the Record of Protected Structures for Donegal.

In September 2007, I initiated a major Review of Archaeological Policy and Practice in Ireland. The aim of the review was to make policy and practice in protecting Ireland's archaeological heritage the best there could be and to draw from the experience and advice of experts both at home and abroad to achieve this. A number of seminars were held in October and November 2007 in order to get initial views on the scope of the review. These seminars involved stakeholders from all areas working in, or with an interest in, archaeological heritage, including academics, commercial archaeologists, local authorities, infrastructure providers, local history groups and activists.

To ensure that every effort was made to properly define the nature and scope of the review, I established an Expert Advisory Committee to advise me on how best to respond to the issues that emerged in the consultation process. At my request, the Expert Advisory Committee concentrated initially on legislative provisions to up-date and replace the National Monuments Acts. In that regard, the Expert Advisory Committee made its recommendations to me in January and draft Heads of a Bill are now being prepared by my Department.