Sir, – It is acutely disappointing that the Government has refused to accept the expert advice of the academic and archival communities to abandon its ill-conceived policy to merge the National Archives and Irish Manuscript Commission into the National Library. No significant economies can be made by this policy without seriously damaging all three organisations which are already shockingly under-resourced.
Furthermore, by treating cultural organisations like administrative quangos, the Government has disrespected both those who work in them and those who use them, and thereby has publicly demeaned our national cultural identity. – Yours, etc,