Madam, - Along with many other architects I enjoyed my visit last Saturday, organised by the Association of Architects in Ireland, to the excellent new building on Merrion Row next to the Huguenot Cemetery, procured by the Office of Public Works for the Department of Finance.
However, I must ask why, when the Department of Finance see the need for high standards in building, we are not also building our schools to the same high standards. Surely the next generation deserves the best possible school buildings?
Here in Ireland smaller practices, many of which have designed the best schools over the past few years have been largely excluded from the current programme, due to restrictive rules for the appointment of consultants.
Up to the 1960s, when the economy was at its lowest ebb, school buildings were generally of a high standard of construction, with slate or copper roofs, and they have survived in reasonable condition, in spite of poor maintenance.
Since the 1960s, however, budgets have been kept very low and many poor quality prefab buildings were used, and are still being used, even on an increasing scale.
When a school building only costs three or four times its annual running costs, surely a reasonable amount of additional money to build to the highest quality is almost insignificant, taking into account the lifetime costs, and the benefits to at least the next two generations. - Yours, etc,
JAMES PIKE, Chairman, Irish Architecture Foundation, O'Mahony Pike Architects Ltd, Milltown, Dublin 6.