Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

143. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position as of July 2025 on the Programme for Government commitment to support applications for additional UNESCO recognition sites to showcase Ireland’s heritage internationally and examine the role of the National Monuments Service in the progression of these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39957/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Last week, my colleague, Minister of State Christopher O'Sullivan, announced the publication of the Strategy for World Heritage in Ireland 2025-2035. This is a landmark step in how Ireland protects, promotes and passes on our most treasured cultural and natural heritage to future generations. The vision of the Strategy is the exemplary protection and management of our World Heritage Properties, empowered local communities and enhanced awareness and understanding of World Heritage and its value. It sets out the role played by the National Monuments Service and other key agencies. The Strategy also sets out an ambition to progress the nomination of sites on the Irish Tentative List towards UNESCO World Heritage status.

The Tentative List is an inventory of sites that demonstrate potential Outstanding Universal Value. My Department's policy is that potential applications to the Tentative List are sponsored and led by the relevant local authority and key stakeholders, supported by the National Monuments Service. The Tentative List includes:

(1) The Passage Tomb Landscape of County Sligo;

(2) The Transatlantic Cable Ensemble: A transnational nomination with Canada, including Valentia-Heart's Content (County Kerry) and the Cable Station in Knightstown, Valentia Island.

(3) The Royal Sites of Ireland: this includes Dún Ailinne (County Kildare), Hill of Uisneach (County Westmeath), Rock of Cashel (County Tipperary), Rathcroghan (County Roscommon), and Tara (County Meath), with potential for a transboundary nomination to include Emain Macha/Navan Fort (County Armagh).

4) The Historic Astronomical Observatories of Ireland: this includes Birr Castle and Demesne (County Offaly), and Dunsink Observatory (County Dublin) with potential for a transboundary nomination to include Armagh Planetarium and Observatory (County Armagh).

The Historic Astronomical Observatories of Ireland was added to the Tentative List earlier this year and the National Monuments Service is currently engaging with the observatories on the next steps required to progress this nomination.

Supported by the National Monuments Service, World Heritage coordinators have now been appointed in Kerry County Council, Sligo County Council and Tipperary County Council (who act on behalf of the Royal Sites of Ireland) to lead the nomination bid at local level. International World Heritage experts have been selected to assist the coordinators to prepare nomination dossiers. World Heritage Steering Groups and Project Teams have also been established by the local authorities to ensure stakeholder and community engagement and support at local level, particularly in light of the requirement under the World Heritage Operational Guidelines for community participation. The National Monuments Service has also recently announced a pilot capital funding scheme for private landowners and local authorities for the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of World Heritage in Ireland.

It is important to note that the nomination process takes a minimum of six years and it is the UNESCO World Heritage Committee that will ultimately decide if a site demonstrates Outstanding Universal Value and add it to the World Heritage List.

The Strategy for World Heritage in Ireland can be found at