Environment Minister Mark H Durkan and the Regional Development Minister Michelle McIlveen have signed a prosperity agreement to help preserve archaeological heritage in Northern Ireland.

In 2012, construction works on the A32 Cherrymount Link Road at Drumclay in Enniskillen uncovered a site of ancient artificial island called a crannog. The discovery necessitated the scientific excavation of the 9th century crannog by archaeologists to ensure the preservation of its rich historical significance. The excavation took a total of 44 weeks and caused considerable delays to the road construction programme.

The agreement, between DOE's Historic Environment Division and DRD's TransportNI, puts in place a framework to ensure unique and irreplaceable archaeological heritage is properly considered without causing undue disruption to the progression of major road schemes. It aims to implement a proactive approach to locating, avoiding or scientifically excavating archaeological sites during the early development stages of road schemes.

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Minister Durkan said: "This new Prosperity Agreement will see roads and history rhyme. It will allow us better to understand our past while building for the future, at reduced cost.

"We have already piloted our new approach. At much reduced cost and effort, we have found exciting 3,500-4,000 year old Bronze Age remains on the route of the A31 Magherafelt By-Pass and an extremely rare and difficult to find 7,000 year old Mesolithic house on the A26 dualling scheme at Glarryford, Co Antrim. These are great examples of learning from the past and working together to deliver important benefits for our economy and for our society."

Minister McIlveen said: "As we have been moving towards this new agreement, my Department and DoE have been working closely together to find the best ways of locating and preserving our archaeological heritage along the routes of road improvement schemes. This agreement will help build on and strengthen that good work."

(CD/LM)