Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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123. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will support the UNESCO world heritage site application for the passage tombs of County Sligo, by ensuring state protection and ownership of land containing important passage tombs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24366/24]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo was added to Ireland's World Heritage Tentative List in 2022. My Department has met a number of times with Sligo County Council to discuss how the nomination towards World Heritage status should proceed and we are currently finalising a Memorandum of Understanding with the Local Authority that will set out the overarching nomination structure, key milestones on the journey to inscription, and key responsibilities.

The proposed World Heritage property will include both State owned and privately owned sites. It is not envisaged that the State will acquire all elements of the property but may consider sites for acquisition should an opportunity arise. This will be dependent on both value for money principles and clear title. A comprehensive Management and Conservation Plan will be developed as part of the nomination dossier that will be submitted to the World Heritage Committee.

It should be noted that the term ‘property’ is used by UNESCO to define an area that has World Heritage status, rather than referring to ownership. World Heritage status does not affect Irish ownership or property rights and World Heritage properties do not become public property; nor does their ownership pass to any international body. Ownership remains as it was prior to inscription, and Irish laws still apply.

The process to inscribe a Tentative List site on the World Heritage List takes a minimum of five or six years and is dependent on various factors. My Department recently published ‘A Guide to World Heritage Nomination’. Based on UNESCO’s Operational Guidelines and on international best practice, this is a non-statutory guide to assist local authorities, the public and key stakeholders understand the various World Heritage processes, timelines and requirements in an Irish context. This publication can be found at the link below:

www.worldheritageireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/A-Guide-to-World-Heritage-Nomination-WH-Advice-Series-No.1-April-24.pdf/.