Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 February 2025
335. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform how long the wall on the Hill of Tara has been under construction, the quantities involved and the cost to date. [3112/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Hill of Tara in Co. Meath is a significant, expansive heritage site that visitors can access year round. It is used locally as a walking amenity in addition to attracting visitors from all over the world. The church at the Hill of Tara houses the OPW Visitor Centre for the site and this is open between May and September annually. Tara is one of the five monuments assemblages listed in the current UNESCO World Heritage Tentative list as the The Royal Sites of Ireland.
The OPW Trim District National Monuments team is charged with maintaining the Hill of Tara year-round but they also have responsibility for 165 National Monuments across the district including for example Glendalough, Kilmainham Gaol, Trim Castle and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Brú na Bóinne.
The works to the graveyard wall at Tara have been ongoing at various times since 2014 and have run concurrently with a number of other conservation projects across the district. OPW craft workers and stone masons carried out the repair and reinstatement works under the direction of OPW Conservation Architects, Engineers and the District Works Manager. These are conservation stone repair works with varying levels of complexity requiring input from a number of sources including the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, from which OPW needs to obtain Ministerial consent for any works at National Monument sites. The consent process can, in some cases, take significant time.
During the period of these works, OPW masons were periodically directed towards other priority projects in the district depending on need. It should be noted also that this type of work is somewhat seasonal as lime mortar should not be applied when temperatures are liable to fall to lower temperatures.
Works to the North, West and South walls are complete, the latter section being completed in 2024. The remaining Eastern section of the wall is archaeologically sensitive. The OPW is engaged in detailed discussions about the methodology to address this section of wall with the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH). The remaining works will not progress until agreement is reached on this methodology and Ministerial Consent obtained. This process of deliberation, which is ongoing for the last two years, has impacted on progress of the very final stage of the conservation works but is a necessary part of the process of protecting the archaeological heritage of the site.
As noted above the work was delivered by the OPW direct-labour workforce. Expenditure on the graveyard wall for the period 2014 to 2024 amounts to €124,159.50 for the purchase of materials (predominantly lime and sand) and the provision of specialist services including expert engineering, archaeological and conservation advices, ongoing monitoring and surveys.
