Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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103. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to halt the demise in construction of traditional Slaney cots, in addition to the demise of traditional cot fishing practices on the river Slaney; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3081/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Heritage Council, which was established under the Heritage Act 1995, works to promote interest in and protect our national heritage in all its forms.

The Council works in partnership with local communities, local authorities, voluntary groups, government departments, various agencies and national cultural institutions in order to deliver this vision through supporting a wide range of heritage projects and initiatives at community level. 

In 2017 the Heritage Council offered €4,000  under the Heritage Council Community Grants Scheme to the Southend Family Resource Centre to carry out an oral history project to enrich the work done over the past number of years in reviving the building of traditional clinker built Wexford Cots. In this regard, the Heritage Council is best placed to offer practical advise and assistance to local groups. 

The Deputy may also be interested in the new National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage which is currently being drawn up by my Department. The Inventory is designed to acknowledge and promote living traditions and practices which are part of our unique Irish heritage. It is open to group to submit application to my Department to have traditional practices, including traditional boat building, recognised on the list. Further detail can be found on the website of my Department at .