Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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223. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when correspondence sent by a person (details supplied) to the Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform in relation to alleged damage to archaeological remains caused in a National Park will be replied to in detail; the investigations carried out following these reports into this damage; if the investigations were carried out by an archaeological expert; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2786/22]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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My Department has already responded to the initial correspondence from the individual referenced in the details supplied. A further response to follow-up correspondence from this individual will issue in due course.

To clarify, the activity at Mweelin townland was related to National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) works for the replacement/maintenance of an existing fence. A report  into the matter was undertaken by an experienced archaeologist from the National Monuments Service (NMS), who visited the site on 25 November 2021.

The NMS report concluded that the replacement fence is at a distance of over 60m from the archaeological monuments and therefore there is no direct impact. No damage had been caused to the court tomb or the holy well. The inspection of the graveyard revealed that traces of vehicular access were evident along the track through the graveyard and indicated by disturbance to the vegetation. The report notes that a small number of field stones were displaced at the time of inspection.