Madam, - As the body representing conservator-restorers employed in the private and public sectors preserving our cultural heritage, we wish to express our deep concern about the recently enacted National Monuments Act, 2004.
The effect of the new act is to facilitate the destruction of our heritage, unlike previous National Monuments acts in which protection and conservation were the guiding principles. The designation and protection of our national monuments is now at the sole discretion of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Safeguards put in place by previous Acts, considered essential for the protection of our heritage, have been undone. The impetus for the new act seems to have come from the Minister's desire to favour development at the expense of heritage..
This Act is ill-considered and hastily drafted. Cultural values have been set aside for purely economic reasons. We request that this Act be amended to afford protection to our patrimony for future generations. After all, it is this patrimony that attracts visitors to Ireland, bringing considerable financial gain. - Yours etc.,
MAIGHRÉAD McPARLAND,
Honorary Secretary,
Institute for the Conservation
of Historic and Artistic
Works in Ireland,
Castle Street,
Dublin 2.