Clare FF councillor accuses An Taisce of being a secret society

An Taisce was told yesterday that if it wants better relations with the public it will have to move on from being a secret society.

A Fianna Fáil councillor in Co Clare, Mr P.J. Kelly, called on the National Trust to publish a total list of its full membership across the country for each county council.

Mr Kelly said he noted the comments of An Taisce's new president, Ms Éanna Ní Lamhna, earlier this week on changing An Taisce's arrogant and elitist image to one where people will think of it more positively.

"Well, if that is to be achieved, it better move on from being a secret society and become open and allow the public to see who its members are," he said.

The days of secret societies were gone, and he didn't see why An Taisce should be part-funded by the taxpayer if its membership remained a secret.

However, a spokesman for An Taisce said yesterday that it would not be revealing its membership to Clare County Council.

"No membership organisation would. In common with other membership organisations, membership details are protected by Government legislation through the Data Protection Act," the spokesman said.

The names of An Taisce's governing council were available to the public, along with the names of the organisation's officers and committees. He declined to comment on Mr Kelly's description of An Taisce as a secret society.

The secretary of the Clare branch, Ms Anny Wise, said yesterday that she would be wary of releasing the identity of its Clare membership because of the hostile reaction individuals might suffer in their local communities.

At the council's April meeting, a motion was put calling on the Minister for the Environment, to radically reduce An Taisce's influence in planning matters.