Ireland has formally ratified the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.
By ratifying, Ireland has become the 82nd party to the Convention, which was adopted in November 2001 at the 31st UNESCO General Conference.
The internationally legally binding agreement promotes the protection of underwater cultural heritage (UCH) through cooperation between states parties.
Ireland was not able to ratify the treaty until enacting legislative changes, in particular those included in Chapter 2, Part 5 of the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.
Following approval by the Dáil in October, Ireland’s ambassador to UNESCO has now formally deposited the legal instrument of ratification with UNESCO in Paris.
Housing, local government and heritage minister James Browne