Sir, – As legal scholars, we are writing to express our concern over the Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023 which overhauls Ireland’s main heritage cultural legislation and is currently before the Dáil for debate. While the draft Bill contains some merit, we are of the view that it needs further amendment to reflect international best practice and not to repeat the mistakes of the past (namely the destruction of Wood Quay Viking settlement, the routing of a motorway though the Tara-Skryne valley, and the substantial quarrying at the Hill of Allen). The law was at its strongest after the 1994 amendment to the National Monuments Act introduced by then-minister Michael D Higgins, which introduced several safeguards for a consent to interfere with national monuments (subsequently removed in the 2004 amendment). We also believe that other aspects of the historic and cultural heritage need more emphasis in the Bill, which focuses mainly on a narrow definition of Ireland’s archaeological heritage. – Yours, etc,
Dr AMY STRECKER,
Associate Professor,
Sutherland School of Law,
SINEAD MERCIER,
Lecturer in Planning, Environmental Law & Policy,
University College Dublin;
Dr THOMAS MUINZER,
University of Aberdeen.