Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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389. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider forming an expert working group for national monuments (details supplied) given all structures recognised after 1888 are not considered as monuments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21800/24]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The definition of “monument” for the purposes of the National Monuments Act 1930 is not in fact date limited. The definition of “national monument” as set out in section 2 of the Act of 1930, contains an automatic carry forward of anything which was an “ancient monument” for the purposes of the Ancient Monuments Protection Acts 1882 to 1910 (which were repealed by the Act of 1930). However, the definition of national monument is much wider than that and includes any monument the preservation of which is a matter of national importance by reason of one or more categories of heritage interest set out in the definition; there is no reference to any date limitation in the definition. Indeed, the definition makes expressly clear that the reference in it to the 19th century legislation was not to be read as limiting the general scope of the definition.

With respect to the reference to Moore Street, the buildings at 14 to 17 Moore Street had a preservation order placed on them pursuant to the relevant provisions of the National Monuments Act 1930, on the basis that it was considered that they met the definition of national monument for the purposes of the Act of 1930.

The National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014, as currently in place, will be repealed on a phased basis as the provisions of the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (the 2023 Act) (which was enacted by the Oireachtas on 13 October 2023) are commenced. Work is currently ongoing within my Department to ensure that the commencement of all provisions of the Act is progressed as expediently as possible.

The 2023 Act will, when commenced in full, provide strengthened protection for all elements of archaeological and historic heritage. One aspect of this will be the provision of automatic protection for classes of monuments prescribed in regulations made by me, as Minister, under the Act. My Department is currently working on drafting of such regulations and active consideration is being given to the appropriate inclusion of certain types of structures associated with the World War II period. In any event, such structures would be eligible for inclusion in the new Register of Monuments to be established under the Act of 2023, in line with the wide scope of the new legislation.