LYNDA HENDLEY,
Sir, - Peter Costello (July 18th) has a complaint about "municipal vandalism" carried out by Dublin Corporation - i.e., the removal of the Joyce memorial bench from the pavement outside St Stephen's Green facing Newman House.
I wish to inform Mr Costello that it is the Office of Public Works, in conjunction with Dúchas, the Heritage Service, that is carrying out the restoration of the new granite paving surrounding St Stephen's Green. The bench in question, which until recently was sited outside the Green facing Newman House, was the subject of casual vandalism on a regular basis and was in very poor condition. In the interest of protecting the memorial bench, the OPW and Dúchas decided to refurbish it and move it inside the Green.
The Joyce memorial bench currently rests inside St Stephen's Green, facing the bust of James Joyce, for all Joyce admirers to enjoy. - Yours, etc.,
LYNDA HENDLEY, Press Officer, Office of Public Works, Dublin 2.