Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the above Bill has been taking place at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This should be of concern to all archaeologists working in Ireland. The General Scheme of the Bill is available HERE.
So far, hearings have taken place on the 27th January and the 3rd February and the 17th February. These Joint Committee hearings are available to view by clicking each date or as transcripts on the links below:
Transcript – Thursday, 27 Jan 2022 (oireachtas.ie)
Transcript – Thursday, 3 Feb 2022 (oireachtas.ie)
Transcript – Thursday, 17 Feb 2022 (not available yet)
All sessions are worthy of attention by professional archaeologists in Ireland. The IAI Board has made a submission on behalf of the membership to this Joint Oireachtas Committee and is available to view HERE. The introduction of revised archaeological legislation is long-overdue and to be welcomed. We each have a responsibility to see that the newly proposed Bill is extensive, comprehensive and that it can be implemented fully.