AQW 41734/11-15


Mr Phil Flanagan
Sinn Féin
Fermanagh and South Tyrone


Tabled Date: 04/02/2015
Answered On Date: 16/02/2015
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment to detail (i) the number of raths in each council area; and (ii) the number that are protected by the NIEA.


Answer:
Some 2,814 sites are identified as raths in the Northern Ireland Monuments and Buildings Record (MBR). I have provided an overview map of these in Appendix 1 and the actual numbers as they relate to each council area (pre and post RPA) in Appendix 2. I will also place copies of these in the Assembly library.
There are 524 raths in Northern Ireland which are protected by scheduling under the Historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects (NI) Order 1995; the majority of these are on private land. Fifteen raths are protected by being in State Care: Appendix 2 details the location of these protected sites with regard to council areas. In addition, all other recorded raths are protected by both planning and agricultural policies.
You should also note that the MBR contains details of 3,474 sites that have a potential to be raths but which survive now only as below ground remains. As there are no visible above ground remains to examine, only archaeological excavation could ascertain the definitive nature of these 3,474 sites. I trust that this information and the accompanying appendices have answered your query.
Appendix 2
Location of Raths pre-RPA LGD:
Scheduled
State Care
State Care & Scheduled
Other
Total
Antrim
30
1
0
205
236
Ards
11
0
0
45
56
Armagh
36
0
0
158
194
Ballymena
19
0
0
46
65
Ballymoney
16
0
0
26
42
Banbridge
34
0
2
182
218
Belfast
4
1
0
11
16
Carrickfergus
2
0
0
10
12
Castlereagh
7
0
0
10
17
Coleraine
17
0
1
61
79
Cookstown
16
0
1
91
108
Craigavon
4
0
1
43
48
Derry
7
0
0
10
17
Down
35
0
1
107
143
Dungannon
23
0
2
133
158
Fermanagh
88
0
0
531
619
Larne
5
0
0
33
38
Limavady
15
0
1
26
42
Lisburn
36
2
1
138
177
Magherafelt
18
1
0
61
80
Moyle
2
0
0
11
13
Newry & Mourne
39
0
0
138
177
Newtownabbey
11
0
0
22
33
North Down
0
0
0
13
13
Omagh
25
0
0
100
125
Strabane
14
0
0
74
88
Totals
514
5
10
2285
2814
Location of Raths post-RPA LGD:
Scheduled
State Care
State Care & Scheduled
Other
Total
Antrim & Newtownabbey
41
1
0
227
269
Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon
68
0
3
369
440
Belfast
5
1
0
12
18
Causeway Coast & Glens
50
0
2
124
176
Derry & Strabane
21
0
0
84
105
Fermanagh & Omagh
113
0
0
631
744
Lisburn & Castlereagh
42
2
1
147
192
Mid & East Antrim
26
0
0
89
115
Mid Ulster
57
1
3
285
346
Newry, Mourne & Down
80
0
1
259
340
North Down & Ards
11
0
0
58
69
Totals
514
5
10
2285
2814