Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2026
82. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will undertake a feasibility study relating to the exhumation of 'The Invincibles', buried at Kilmainham Gaol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51535/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraKilmainham Gaol is a National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works. My responsibilities in relation to the site arise under the National Monuments Acts and relate to its maintenance, conservation and presentation to the public.
The Office of Public Works does not have the statutory authority to initiate or design exhumation schemes or to grant a licence for the exhumation of human remains. Accordingly, I have no plans to undertake a feasibility study relating to the exhumation of those believed to be buried at Kilmainham Gaol.
As I have outlined previously in response to Parliamentary Questions on this matter, proposals of this nature raise a range of complex legal, historical, archaeological, ethical and governance issues that extend well beyond the statutory remit of the Office of Public Works.
Kilmainham Gaol occupies a unique place in Ireland's history. Opened in 1796 as the County Gaol for Dublin, it remained in operation until 1924. It is closely associated with many of the defining events in the history of the State, includingthe Easter Rising of 1916. Today, it is one of the State's most significant National Monuments and is preserved and presented by the Office of Public Works for the benefit of the public.
While the general area in which burials are believed to have taken place is broadly understood, there are no definitive records identifying the precise location of individual remains. Any proposal involving exhumation would therefore involve significant practical and archaeological challenges in addition to the wider legal and ethical considerations.
As the Office of Public Works does not have the statutory authority to initiate or manage such a process, it would not be appropriate for the OPW to undertake such a study. Any consideration of proposals of this nature would be a matter for Government and would have to take place within the appropriate statutory and governance frameworks, with the involvement of all relevant authorities.
In the meantime, the Office of Public Works will continue to discharge its statutory responsibilities by conserving, maintaining and presenting Kilmainham Gaol as one of Ireland's most important National Monuments, ensuring that its complex and significant history is protected for future generations.
