National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1987

The Historic Monuments Council.

4.—(1) The Minister shall establish by order a council which shall be known as “the Historic Monuments Council” and is in this section referred to as “the Council”.

(2) It shall be the function of the Council to advise and assist the Commissioners in relation to any matter respecting the carrying into execution of the provisions of the National Monuments Acts, 1930 to 1987, or any other matter affecting historic monuments or other archaeological areas or wrecks, and their protection and preservation and the Council shall, if requested by the Commissioners to do so, advise them in relation to any specified such matter as aforesaid.

(3) The members of the Council shall be appointed from time to time as occasion requires by the Minister and shall consist of—

(a) a representative of the Taoiseach nominated by the Taoiseach,

(b) a representative of the Minister for the Marine nominated by the Minister for the Marine,

(c) a representative of the Minister for the Environment nominated by the Minister for the Environment,

(d) a representative of the Commissioners nominated by the Commissioners,

(e) a representative of each of the following bodies nominated by the body of which he is the representative, namely:

(i) Trinity College, Dublin,

(ii) University College, Dublin,

(iii) University College, Cork,

(iv) University College, Galway,

(v) Queen's University, Belfast,

(vi) Bord Fáilte Éireann,

(vii) the Royal Irish Academy,

(viii) the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland,

(ix) the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland,

(x) the Maritime Institute of Ireland,

and

(f) such other persons not exceeding five in number as the Minister may determine from time to time.

(4) (a) There shall be a chairman of the Council.

(b) The chairman of the Council shall be appointed from time to time as occasion requires by the Minister from amongst the members of the Council.

(5) (a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, the term of office of a member of the Council shall be six years but members of the Council shall, upon the expiry of their terms of office, be eligible for re-appointment to the Council from time to time.

(b) The term of office of eight (who shall be chosen by the Council by lot from amongst the members of the Council other than the chairman) of the members of the Council first appointed after the establishment of the Council shall be three years.

(6) Where a member of the Council dies, resigns or is temporarily unable to act as such member, the Minister may appoint another person to be a member of the Council in his place for such period as the Minister may determine and where the first-mentioned member was nominated for appointment to the Council by a person specified in subsection (3) of this section, the person appointed under this subsection shall be nominated for appointment to the Council by the person so specified.

(7) The Council may act notwithstanding one or more vacancies among its members.

(8) There may be paid to members of the Council by the Minister, out of moneys to be provided by the Oireachtas, such amounts in respect of travelling and subsistence or other expenses incurred by members of the Council in the performance of their functions as such members as the Minister may determine.

(9) The Council shall regulate, by rules or otherwise, the procedure and business of the Council.

(10) References in any other Act or instrument made thereunder to the National Monuments Advisory Council shall be construed as references to the Historic Monuments Council.