The Planning and Licensing Unit of the National Monuments Service:
Provides input and advice in relation to the protection of the archaeological heritage to planning and other authorities in respect of individual planning and other development applications, projects and plans - for more information on the planning system and its interaction with the archaeological heritage, click here.
Regulates archaeological excavation through a licensing system. For more information on the licensing regime which applies to archaeological activities please click here.
Planning Regulations
Under the Planning and Development Act 2000 the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is a statutory consultee in relation to developmental impacts on the archaeological heritage.
The Environmental Impact Assessment process is central to the protection of the archaeological heritage in respect of large-scale development projects.
The “Developer Pays” principle applies in relation to archaeological costs arising from a development.
In recent years the Department has put in place Codes of Practice with agencies involved in the delivery of large-scale infrastructural projects which by their nature can have significant archaeological implications.
Licensing
Under the National Monuments Acts 1930 – 2004 archaeological excavation may only be carried out under a licence issued by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
The Planning and Licensing Unit assesses applications for excavation licences and for licences to use detection devices.
Contact
If you have a specific query with regard to the licensing of archaeological activities you can contact:
Licensing SectionNational Monuments Service,
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Custom House
Dublin 1
Tel: 085 8049231