79.—(1) Before issuing a notice under section 3(1) of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964, in respect of a protected structure or a proposed protected structure, a sanitary authority shall consider—

(a) the protected status of the structure, and

(b) whether, instead of a notice under section 3(1) of that Act, a notice should be issued under section 59(1) or section 11 of the Derelict Sites Act, 1990.

(2) As soon as practicable after serving or proposing to serve a notice in accordance with section 3(1) of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964, in respect of a protected structure or a proposed protected structure, a sanitary authority shall inform the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands of the particulars of the notice if he or she recommended that the structure be protected.

(3) A sanitary authority which carries out works on a protected structure, or a proposed protected structure, under section 3(2) of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964, shall as far as possible preserve that structure (or elements of that structure which may be of special architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest), in as much as the preservation of that structure is not likely to cause a danger to any person or property.

(4) When carrying out works in accordance with section 3(2) of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964, on a protected structure or a proposed protected structure, a sanitary authority shall, as soon as practicable, inform the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands of the works if he or she recommended that the structure be protected.