Sir, – I have been convinced by two very fine articles, by Aidan Dunne (Life & Culture, November 29th) on the proposed merging of the National Gallery and the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and by Fintan O’Toole (Weekend Review, November 19th) on the proposed merging of the National Library and the National Archives, that mergers are to Fine Gael what decentralisation was to to Fianna Fáil. I would add to those, the proposal to merge the offices of the Ombudsman and the Coimisinéir Teanga.
It all looks like change for the sake of change, doing something to be seen to do it: a not very well thought-out overreaction, with no financial gain and much cultural loss. – Yours, etc,