Serving People

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• Serving People
• Preserving Heritage
• Catherine Desmond, Archaeologist,
• National Monuments Section, Department of
  Environment, Heritage and Local Government

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The Role of the Department in relation to Built
Heritage
To protect, maintain, conserve and preserve the
built and natural heritage of our country
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Departmental Structure

• Heritage and Planning Division 1.
  National Monuments Service
• 2. Heritage Policy and Architectural
  Protection Section

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Main Built Heritage Areas

• Protection and Conservation Unit
• Archive and Survey Unit
• Planning and Licensing Unit
• National Inventory for Architectural Heritage
• Architectural Protection
• Heritage Policy Unit

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Legislative Background

• National Monuments Act 1930-2004
• Planning and Development Act 2000

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Ministerial Consent
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• In accordance with Section 14 of the National
  Monuments Act 1930, as amended, where a national
  monument of which the Minister or a local
  authority are the owners or guardians, or that
  have been the subject of a preservation order,
  Ministerial Consent is required in order
• a. To demolish or remove it wholly or in part or
  to disfigure, deface, alter, or in any manner
  injure or interfere with it, or
• b. to excavate, dig, plough or otherwise disturb
  the ground within, around, or in proximity to, or
• c. to renovate or restore it, or
• d. to sell it or any part of it for exportation
  or to export it or any part of it.

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National Policy on TownDefences

• The known and expected circuits of the defences
  (both upstanding and buried, whether of stone or
  embankment construction) and associated features
  of all town defences are to be considered a
  single national monument and treated as a unit
  for policy and management purposes. There should
  be a presumption in favour of preservation
  in-situ of archaeological remains and
  preservation of their character, setting and
  amenity.

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National Policy on TownDefences
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Planning and Development Act 2000
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(No Transcript)
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Planning and Development Act 2000 (Part
IV)local authority measures

• Protect single structures include individual
  lengths of town wall and its features on the
  Record of Protected Structures
• Preserve the character of an area designate a
  specific part of a walled town or distinct area
  of it as an Architectural Conservation Area
• The local authority is required to protect, to
  educate and to enforce the legislation
• Both types of protection may be used together

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Architectural Conservation Area
The Planning Authority can target policies and
manage change on a wider scale than by dealing
with individual structures ACA designation
protects the exteriors of structures within the
boundaries in order to preserve the character of
the area The area may include some or many
protected structures All involved must co-operate
for the designation to be effective
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Town Planning and Structures

• Enhancing the natural and built heritage

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Role of State Agencies

• National Museum of Ireland
• The Office of Public Works
• The Heritage Council
• Local Authorities
• Failte Ireland

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Irish Walled Town Network (IWTN)

• Founded by the Heritage Council of Ireland in
  2005
• To work with local authorities in managing,
  conserving and enhancing historic walled towns in
  Ireland
• To identify, preserve, protect and enhance the
  national heritage

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What is a town?

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Irish Medieval Towns

• Main Street forming the spine with narrow lanes
  running off it at right angles
• Towns built around early ecclesiastical sites
• Most had a market place, a church, often a castle
  and sometimes defences
• Deliberate man made extensions over time

Urban Archaeology
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Examples of Public Realm Plans in Ireland
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Athenry

• Streetscape Enhancement

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Cashel

• Improved lighting in public areas

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Youghal

• Improved Signage and orientation panels

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Fethard

• Historic Features
• Walled Town Gateways

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FUNDING

• Department funding for structures
• in public ownership
• several town and city walls projects

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CONTACT US

• Any plans or programmes or any queries or
  clarification required should be forwarded in
  writing at the earliest opportunity to
• Development Applications Section DoEHLG
• Dún Scéine Harcourt Lane
• Dublin 2
• Ministerial Consent and Notification for
  attention of Director of National Monuments
  Section-Guidance Document on consent available
• RMP and Urban Archaeology Surveys available in
  all Local Authorities
• Department website www.archaeology.ie
• Department publications www.environ.ie