Sir, – After reading "Continuous rise in Skellig visitors alarms An Taisce" (News, July 30th), I felt a very heavy heart. That such a unique national treasure should not be protected and properly managed by the OPW is truly shocking. Being an island and relatively inaccessible should make it easy to control the volume of visitors,
Three steps could be taken now which would ensure that it will be here for the next 1,000 years. Limit the numbers visiting each year to 11,000, as recommended by Unesco in 2008. Have a charge for each person visiting which will help the OPW with its running costs. The licensed boat operators who charge €100 for the 11.5 km journey should contribute to the conservation of Skellig Michael as they seem to be the only financial beneficiaries in the whole operation. It is such a wonderful, beautiful and irreplaceable part of our history. I support An Taisce its concern. – Yours, etc,
COLETTE CUMMINS,
Stillorgan,
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Co Dublin.