National Monument (Ireland)

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Photo of a notice at a ring fort near Lough Gur, typical of those at a national monument in Ireland.

A National Monument in the Republic of Ireland, is a monument (or remains of) under preservation by the State, as a result of its being considered to be of national importance. As of 2006 the legal basis for this status are the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004 ^[1]. The original national monuments act by the current Irish state was enacted in 1930 as the National Monuments Act, 1930 ^[2]. The original itinerary of monuments comprises those to which the Ancient Monuments Protection Act, 1882 applied.

A National Monument comprises the monument itself, as well as the site of the monument and the means of access to it. Land adjoining this may also be included as part of the National Monument, if required to protect the monument itself.

The most recent amendment act, the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 includes provisions for the partial or complete destruction of National Monuments by the government ^[3]. These were included as a result of the destruction of the Carrickmines Castle National Monument to build an intersection along the Southeastern Motorway section of the M50.