Baltinglass, a small town in west Wicklow, contains nine hillforts in its vicinity. It is described by experts as the hillfort capital of Ireland. Research work and archaeological digs have been conducted by Dr. Alan Hawkes and Dr. James O'Driscoll under the auspices of Professor William O'Brien, all from University College Cork. This has further revealed many other ancient sites. The lead researchers have described the area as the archaeological capital of Ireland. I bring this to the attention of the House and ask for the Taoiseach's support to develop this huge part of our history and heritage and bring it to a wider audience.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. When I met him in the corridor last evening, he highlighted the unique and important presence of prehistoric monuments known as the Baltinglass hillforts, up to 13 hillforts in south-west Wicklow and neighbouring parts of Kildare, the largest collection of such impressive prehistoric monuments in Ireland or Britain. I am delighted that the Deputy informed me that it involved archaeologists from UCC, where I studied archaeology for one year, as I told him. I have had a fondness for it ever since. The National Monuments Service is supporting work in this regard. It has supported research on the hillfort landscape through the Royal Irish Academy grant schemes. It funded the recent publication of the seminal A Hillfort Through Time: Excavations at Rathgall, Co. Wicklow, which was launched by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, in the RIA earlier this year. The Baltinglass hillforts are in private ownership so there is no public access. The National Monuments Service welcomes discussion and any substantive proposals it may receive on improving access to these monuments that may emerge in liaison with those land owners who are long-standing custodians of these important monuments. If local consensus can be developed, we will see what can emerge from that.