Duchas, the heritage service, has asked the Drogheda Port Company to cease the removal of spoil left over from a major dredging operation. Duchas believes the spoil may contain important historical artefacts.
The port company, however, is understood to be in dispute with Duchas over the employment of an archaeologist to monitor the work.
An underwater archaeologist from Duchas went to Drogheda, Co Louth, yesterday to investigate the discovery on Thursday of a human skull and some bones during the removal of spoil from the dredging done about 18 months ago to enlarge the port.
Coastwatch Ireland, which had representatives on site when the skull was found, expressed concerns about the find yesterday.
Coastwatch has been pressing for the removal of the spoil from where it lies in the Stagrennan polder on the Boyne estuary, because the area is an important bird sanctuary protected by EU regulations.
A spokesman for Duchas confirmed yesterday that it had appealed to the Drogheda Port Company to stop the removal of the spoil, which, it is understood, is being sold for use as road-building material.
An informal request was issued to the port company about a month ago, but no reply had been received, the spokesman said.
An underwater archaeologist was due to visit the site yesterday.
Duchas said it had stipulated that an archaeologist be present when the spoil was being removed to monitor possible archaeological finds.
Arrowheads and other material thought to date from the Bronze Age were found during the original dredging.
A spokesman for Drogheda Port Company said yesterday no more spoil was being moved. He confirmed that some material had been removed for use in construction. The matter was being investigated and he did not wish to comment further until that investigation had been completed.