Duchas, the Heritage Service, has come under attack from a Fianna Fail TD over safety concerns at two of the south-east's major tourist attractions.
Mr John McGuinness claimed the service's management culture was "older and more in need of attention than many of the buildings it looks after". His criticisms were rejected by Duchas.
Mr McGuinness said that staff at Reginald's Tower in Waterford had been unable to open the main door at the centre for the past four months despite repeated requests to headquarters in Dublin for repairs. Meanwhile, the fire alarm at Tintern Abbey had been out of action for nearly a year, and fire drills were not carried out at many public monument sites.
He also said a £76,000 stone-cutting saw bought two years ago was "barely used" by Duchas staff in Kilkenny because they had not been trained to use its computer.
A spokesman for Duchas said a glass screen door purchased for Reginald's Tower was not a perfect fit and staff were in discussions with the manufacturer. It was not the entrance door and did not affect visitor access.
There had been a problem with the fire alarm at Tintern Abbey but this had been raised with the Office of Public Works and corrective work had recently been completed. The saw was being used manually, and staff would be trained in the use of the computer interface.
There were more than 700 sites in State care, he pointed out, and over 120,000 recorded monuments. Duchas also supervised more than a million hectares of lands such as special conservation areas, and had 200,000 acres including public parks in its direct care. Some £50 million was spent on these activities.
It was a very large organisation engaged in a continuing programme of improvements, and it was unrealistic to expect there would not be occasional problems.
Mr McGuinness, however, plans to raise the problems with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, in the Dail. He claimed the lack of fire drills was putting lives at stake.
The Duchas spokesman said it treated both public and staff health and safety issues very seriously. Procedures were constantly re-examined, and a review was being conducted by Ms de Valera's Department.