Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
200. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions that will be taken to promote and bring to a wider audience the massively significant Baltinglass hillfort complex, and many other archaeological sites in this area of west Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16817/26]
View answer238. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage an bhfuil aon céimeanna ghlactha chun stádas Séadchomhartha Náisiúnta agus na cosantaí reachtúla a gheobann leis a bhronnadh d’iomlán an mogall de dhúin barr-cnoca ag Baile an Bhrioscmhálaigh atá lasmuigh de Bealach Coinglais i gContae Chill Mantáin a chreidtear gurb é seo cead baile na hÉireann le beagnach 600 teach tógtha ar an suíomh 2,000 bliain roimh bailte na Lochlannaigh a bhí luaite roimhe mar chéad bailte na tíre. [16465/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 238 together.
The complex of prehistoric monuments known as the Baltinglass Hillforts comprises up to thirteen hillforts in south-west Wicklow and neighbouring parts of Kildare. It represents the densest distribution of such prehistoric monuments in Ireland and its significance is acknowledged and appreciated by me and my Department.
The National Monuments Service (NMS) of my Department, through our Community Monuments Fund supported a high-resolution LiDAR data collection over an area of over 100 square kilometres within this landscape. This survey enabled expert archaeological appraisal of the landscape for previously unidentified monuments and allowed the creation, for the first time, of a comprehensive map of the hillfort landscape. This funding support by my Department contributed directly to the discoveries announced recently, including of Brusselstown Ring which is within the cluster. The NMS has also supported research on the wider hillfort landscape through the Royal Irish Academy archaeological grants scheme. It also provided funding support for a beautiful publication launched last year of seminal, legacy archaeological excavations at Rathgall Hillfort, to the south of the Baltinglass cluster.
The recent research and focus on the hillforts of the region has raised awareness of them and their significance greatly and I pay tribute to those expert archaeological researchers for their tremendous work. This will assist in their future protection and conservation. The Baltinglass hillforts are in private ownership and thus there is no automatic public access to them. The monuments are afforded statutory protection under the National Monuments Acts and also under relevant objectives of county development plans.
My Department will of course always welcome discussion on any substantive proposals it may receive on improving access to these monuments that may emerge in liaison with those landowners who are long-standing custodians of these important monuments.
The State plays a role in promoting monuments that are in its ownership and managed by the Office of Public Works. From time to time, as resources and opportunities permit, the State will acquire heritage structures and monuments - such acquisitions are considered within the context of available resources as well as the taking into consideration the similar existing properties within the State portfolio, gaps in the State portfolio and the cost of acquisition and maintenance over the short and longer term to the Exchequer.
Tá suas le trí dhún déag in iardheisceart Chill Mhantáin agus i gceantair chomharsanacha Chill Dara sa choimpléasc séadchomharthaí réamhstairiúla ar a dtugtar Dúnta Cnoic Bhealach Conglais. Is ionann é agus an dáileadh is dlúithe de shéadchomharthaí réamhstairiúla den sórt sin in Éirinn, agus aithnímse agus tuigimse a thábhacht i bpáirt le mo Roinn.
Thacaigh Seirbhís na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta (SSN) de chuid mo Roinne, trí Chiste na Séadchomharthaí Pobail atá againn, le bailiú sonraí LiDAR ardtaifigh thar achar os cionn 100 ciliméadar cearnach laistigh den tírdhreach sin. Cumasaíodh leis an suirbhé sin measúnú seandálaíochta saineolach a dhéanamh ar an tírdhreach le haghaidh séadchomharthaí nár aithníodh roimhe seo, agus bhíothas in ann dá bharr, den chéad uair, léarscáil chuimsitheach de thírdhreach na ndúnta cnoic a chruthú. Leis an tacaíocht mhaoinithe sin ó mo roinn, cuireadh go díreach leis na fionnachtana a fógraíodh le déanaí, lena n-áirítear imfhálú Bhaile an Bhrioscmhálaigh atá laistigh den bhraisle. Chomh maith leis sin, thacaigh an SSN le taighde ar thírdhreach na ndúnta cnoic níos leithne trí scéim deontas seandálaíochta Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann. Chomh maith leis sin, chuir sí tacaíocht mhaoinithe ar fáil d’fhoilseachán álainn a seoladh anuraidh faoi thochailtí seandálaíochta oidhreachta ceannródaíocha ag Dún Cnoic na Rátha Gile, ó dheas de bhraisle Bhealach Conglais.
Tá feasacht mhór fúthu agus a dtábhacht mar gheall ar an taighde agus an fócas a rinneadh le déanaí ar dhúnta cnoic an réigiúin, agus molaim na taighdeoirí seandálaíochta saineolacha sin go hard as an obair iontach a rinne siad. Cabhróidh an méid sin lena gcosaint agus lena gcaomhnú amach anseo. Tá dúnta chnoic Bhealach Conglais faoi úinéireacht phríobháideach, agus mar sin níl aon rochtain phoiblí uathoibríoch orthu. Tá cosaint reachtúil do na séadchomharthaí faoi Achtanna na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta agus faoi chuspóirí ábhartha phleananna forbartha contae freisin.
Ar ndóigh, cuirfidh mo roinnse fáilte i gcónaí roimh phlé ar aon mholtaí substaintiúla a gheobhaidh sí maidir le rochtain ar na séadchomharthaí sin a fheabhsú a d’fhéadfadh teacht chun cinn i gcomhar leis na húinéirí talún sin atá ina gcoimeádaithe fadbhunaithe ar na séadchomharthaí tábhachtacha sin.
Tá ról ag an Stát i gcur chun cinn séadchomharthaí atá faoina úinéireacht agus atá á mbainistiú ag Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí. Ó am go ham, de réir mar a cheadaítear de bharr acmhainní agus deiseanna é, gheobhaidh an Stát seilbh ar struchtúir oidhreachta agus séadchomharthaí - breithnítear na fálacha sin a bheith i gcomhthéacs na n-acmhainní atá ar fáil chomh maith leis na maoine comhchosúla atá ann cheana féin laistigh de phunann an Stáit, bearnaí i bpunann an Stáit agus costas na fála agus na cothabhála don Státchiste sa ghearrthéarma agus san fhadtéarma a chur san áireamh.
