Madam, - The letters from the Honorary Secretary of An Taisce, and, from the President and Chairman of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society (March 22nd) ignore the point I raised in my recent criticisms of An Taisce, an organisation which clearly sees itself as being above criticism.
The point I have been making in recent press comments is that An Taisce has been guilty of quite appalling double standards in the cases to which I have drawn attention.
An Taisce turned a blind eye to a whole series of "developments" at Powerscourt House, developments which its own heritage officer has described as "a huge disappointment", "not good enough", "too intrusive" and "too dominant". At the same time the organisation was vigorously and viscously resisting a planning application made for a single family home on a very large family farm in a case where there were clear extenuating circumstances. It has been, and remains, my position that an organisation which is granted statutory recognition and which is supported from our taxes should, at a minimum, behave consistently.
With regard to An Taisce's defenders from the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society who write about "conserving the character and identity of Ireland", I would make the point that part of the character and identity of rural Ireland is the fact that people live and work in it. Indeed the question arises: when Powerscourt was being systematically destroyed, where was the same Ulster Architectural Heritage Society? Is this heritage body more interested in the preservation of An Taisce than it is in saving one of Ireland's finest heritage houses?
The letter to The Irish Times from the Secretary of An Taisce demonstrates, regrettably and once again, the arrogance of that organisation, its propensity to put up smokescreens whenever it is challenged and its wilful reluctance to address specific examples of its own failures. - Yours, etc.,
DICK ROCHE, TD, Minister of State for European Affairs, Herbert Terrace, Bray, Co Wicklow.