Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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969. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which excavations are planned or in progress at various historical sites with particular reference to the need to maintain the integrity of the sites while maximising the educational and tourism potential. [27888/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The role of the National Monuments Service of my Department is to preserve, protect and promote Ireland’s unique archaeological heritage. It fulfills this role through a variety of measures one of which includes the regulation of archaeological excavations in the State.

All archaeological excavations are undertaken under licences issued by the Minister in accordance with S.26 of the National Monuments Act 1930. Such licences are only issued to suitably qualified archaeologists who submit proposals with a sound rationale and methodologies  that comply with standards of best practice. Excavations may be carried out at national monuments in my ownership or guardianship to facilitate conservation works and to improve presentation for educational and tourism purposes. Recent excavations carried out for such purposes have included St. John’s Castle, Carlingford, Co. Louth, Glendalough Co. Wicklow and at the Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

The Department also supports a programme of research excavations through the Standing Committee for Archaeology in the Royal Irish Academy and current projects include excavations at Caherconnell in the Burren, Co. Clare which has become a busy tourist attraction and at Ballynamintra Cave in Co. Waterford.

A number of other research excavations, predominantly organised by the academic sector, have been licensed this year at sites in counties Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Sligo and Mayo.