The national policy in regard to archaeological heritage and the assessment of archaeology in relation to Environmental Impact Assessment is laid out in Framework and Principles for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage published by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands in 1999. In section 3.7.2 it states that archaeological monitoring may be appropriate where development works are taking place in the vicinity of known or suspected archaeological site; where unavoidable works in urban areas cannot be preceded by archaeological excavation; in respect of very small developments in urban areas; in order to ensure that known or suspected elements of the archaeological heritage in the location or vicinity of development are not damaged and in the circumstances where a development is of a scale or nature as to make it reasonable to consider its impact on as yet unidentified elements of the archaeological heritage. Examples of such development are laid out in section 3.6.2 and include developments likely to have a substantial impact on wetlands, unenclosed land, rivers, lakes, the inter-tidal zone, the sea bed, in the vicinity of large complexes of monuments, developments of extensive area or length and any development in respect of which an environmental impact statement is required.