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Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, today (Tuesday 19 February 2013) published a new code of archaeological practice between his Department, the National Museum of Ireland and Bord na Móna in the National Museum of Ireland. The Minister also launched two specialist reports on archaeological investigations carried out in bogs in Counties Longford and Offaly.

The Minister said that the latest code of practice "is the ninth in the series of codes agreed with our infrastructural and energy partners over the last 11 years and it will further copperfasten the protection of archaeology in Bord na Móna bogs."

The Code of Practice was jointly developed by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the National Museum of Ireland and Bord na Móna with the aim of creating a clear framework for Bord na Móna to progress its work programme, while at the same time addressing the need to protect archaeological objects, sites and monuments.

The Minister said that by coming together to develop the code "my Department, the Museum and Bord na Móna can work together to protect and conserve our archaeological heritage."

Welcoming the new Code of Practice on behalf of the National Museum, Raghnall Ó Floinn, the Museum’s Head of Collections, highlighted the near 60 years partnership between the Museum and Bord na Móna which he said "has provided a model for the protection of our archaeological heritage in a development context."

John Horgan, Chairman of Bord na Móna, said that "the Code of Practice highlights that Bord na Móna is fully committed to ensuring that all its activities are carried out in an environmentally sensitive manner that ensures the safeguarding of the nation’s archaeological heritage."

The Code of Practice is available in booklet form and may also be downloaded in both English and Irish, free of charge, from the Department’s National Monuments Service website,

The Minister also launched two archaeological peatland monographs:

- Peatland Excavations - 1999-2000, Lemanaghan Group of Bogs, Co. Offaly, by Jane Whitaker and Ellen O' Carroll, and

- Peatland Excavations - 2001-2002, Mountdillon Group of Bogs, Co. Longford, by Jane Whitaker

Both authors are archaeologists with Archaeological Development Services Ltd., which carried out a series of excavations at the sites. The Minister emphasised that one of his Department’s aims "is to encourage the full publication of results of significant archaeological excavations; these monographs mark a very important step forward in our knowledge and understanding of wetland archaeology."

Archaeological Development Services’ Eoin Halpin praised the ongoing commitment of Bord na Móna to "achieving the delicate balance between archaeological requirements and the demands of peat production" on lands in their ownership.