Madam, - It appears that The Irish Times is the only newspaper in the country that has understood the nature and implications of the government's dissolution of Dúchas as an integrated heritage service.
Your Editorial of April 28th captured the essence of this ill-judged decision and highlighted the worrying failure of the Department of Environment and Local Government to involve any outside agency to advise those responsible.
More worrying to the archaeological profession in both government agencies and the commercial sector is the Department's failure to explain just how the restructuring will "optimise organisational resources". In addition, it is difficult to see how the fragmentation of an integrated service, which is in existence for only a few short years, can lead to the efficiencies that are clearly needed in some areas.
What is missing here is the Department's vision, a clearly articulated statement that will assure all those involved in the protection, care and presentation of our country's very rich and currently beleaguered heritage that it has fully considered its responsibilities and that its proposals are not grounded in short-term political expediency.
The Department will have to do better than suggest that it will put in place "a set of organisational arrangements which will result in heritage functions bedding down and developing a more confident sense of place within the government system".
In a situation where the Department's concern is that the Dúchas brand has been seen in some sectors as anti-development, it is hard to escape the conclusion that the "powerful interests" to which your Editorial referred have had something to do with this decision.
If the Government is to be seen to uphold its commitment to the international conventions which it has ratified on the protection of natural, architectural and archaeological heritage, it must either rescind this decision or provide the country with something better than the statement issued from the Department on April 16th. - Yours, etc.,
EOIN HALPIN,
Vice-President,
Institute of Archaeologists
of Ireland,
Merrion Square,
Dublin 2.
Madam, - My husband and I have just returned from a delightful two-week trip to Ireland, spending time in Dublin, Galway, Dingle, Cobh, and Birr.
We want to congratulate the Heritage Service on the excellent exhibits it has created at various sites. At Clonmacnoise in particular we thought the displays about the high crosses and the explanations of the development of the monastery were very well done. The modern stone constructions housing the exhibits integrate beautifully into a grassy site dominated by the ruins.
Thanks to the Heritage Service for doing such a good job, and to all the people we met who were so warm and welcoming. - Yours, etc.,
ANNE M. TURNER,
Santa Cruz,
California,
USA.
Madam, - Dan Pender, press officer of the Department of the Environment and Local Government (May 6th) thinks that incorporating the word "heritage" into the title of the Department will, in some unspecified way, indicate commitment.
May I remind your readers (and Mr Pender) that "local government" has long been included in the name of the Department of State that apparently operates from the Custom House. And look at its complete and abject failure on that front. - Yours, etc.,
Cllr DERMOT LACEY,
Lord Mayor of Dublin,
The Mansion House,
Dublin 2.