Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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80. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of protected burial mounds which are listed and accessible for tourism and educational purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8960/19]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, there are a large number of recorded monuments in the country and a significant number may fall within the description of the term "burial mounds". For the purpose of responding to the question therefore, the word "protected" is firstly taken to mean those monuments in the care of the Office of Public Works and protected under National Monuments legislation. The reference to "burial mounds" is interpreted as referring to those National Monuments which are categorised as either Passage Tombs, Wedge Tombs, Portal Tombs, Court Tombs or Megalithic Tombs. Graveyards are not included in the definition.

A total of 63individual Monuments, some co-located on the same site, are included in the Monuments in State Care list under these various descriptors and this list is in the table.

Visitor facilities are provided at 4sites in Co. Meath (Newgrange, Dowth, Knowth & Loughcrew) through the Brú na Boinne Visitor Centre and 1 in Co. Sligo (Carrowmore).

The Office of Public Works endeavours, in as far as possible, to facilitate public access to all the National Monuments in its care. However, this may not be possible in all instances at all times for a variety of reasons outside its control including works, Health & Safety concerns, the fact that Monuments or the entry points to them may be located on private lands or because access is either temporarily or permanently curtailed for farming reasons such as animal movements or harvesting.

If the Deputy has a specific site in mind, I would invite him to make contact with my office directly and we will assist him.

The full list of National Monument tomb sites in the care of the OPW is as follows: