185. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions that will be taken to promote a site (details supplied) and the other extensive archaeological sites in the immediate area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37565/26]

The complex of prehistoric monuments known as the Baltinglass Hillforts comprises up to thirteen hillforts indeed in southwest Wicklow and neighbouring parts of Kildare, representing the largest collection of such impressive, prehistoric monuments in Ireland or Britain.

The importance of this hillfort landscape is very much appreciated and acknowledged by me and the Department.

The National Monuments Service of my Department through its Community Monuments Fund has supported a high resolution LiDAR data over an area of over 100 square kilometres within this Baltinglass landscape, creating, for the first time, a comprehensive map of the landscape while also assessing this landscape for previously unidentified monuments.

This may assist in future protection, conservation and management strategies.

The National Monuments Service of my Department has also supported research on the hillfort landscape through the Royal Irish Academy grants scheme and has funded the recent publication of seminal excavations at Rathgall Hillfort.

It should be noted that the Baltinglass hillforts are in private ownership and there is no public access to them. The National Monuments Service will always welcome discussion on any substantive proposals it may receive on improving access to these monuments that may emerge in liaison with those landowners who are long-standing custodians of these monuments.

Question No. 186 answered with Question No. 167.