Opposition is seen as part of heritage body's role

"It is impossible to separate the social and economic wellbeing of local communities from their heritage. If in the long run that heritage is devalued, then so too will be the well-being of the community. It is not good enough to blandly articulate threat."

Strong words from Michael Starrett, chief executive of a State body which convened one of its regional meetings in the north-west late last week.

Already based on the Pale's borders, in Kilkenny, the Heritage Council has made something of an independent reputation for itself since it was established by the then arts minister, Mr Michael D. Higgins. Its opposition to proposed developments in Mullagh more, Co Clare, and Roundstone Bog in Co Mayo have already made headlines.

That both those projects should have the tacit support of a Minister and Minister of State could make life extremely difficult for the council, chaired by Ms Freda Rountree. The chief executive, who is a straight-talking Strabane man, finds this position easy to defend.

"Our function is to propose policies and priorities for the identification, protection, preservation and enhancement of the national heritage," Mr Starrett says.

"Where any development (or even benign neglect) threatens the value of the national heritage, then the council has no option but to articulate that threat."

Protected landscape is one area in which the council believes current State policy is fundamentally flawed, particularly in relation to national parks.

"The real problem is that there is no policy, and landscape is looked at as a very simplistic concept made up of compartments, rather than as a complex system of interrelated factors, all of which are interdependent," Mr Starrett says.

"Local communities are a very important part of that system, and yet to date they have had no real involvement. We're back to the `experts'."

The council is seeking to tackle landscape policy by hosting a major conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly, next year. Mr Starrett's aim is to have the direction identified by May 2000.

Last Thursday and Friday the council met in Donegal as part of its continuing commitment to local communities.

"Many groups and individuals feel disenfranchised," Ms Freda Rountree, chairwoman, observed. "Through implementation of the policies in its strategic plan for 1997 to 2000, the council is seeking to make heritage accessible to everyone, something in which we can all have pride. Our meetings with local authorities are just one example of the way in which we are working to achieve this."

The two-day meeting included discussions with Donegal County Council, as well as with several locally-based groups in Lifford. Inishowen figured on the first morning, with a focus on the architectural and archaeological heritage. This included Buncrana Castle, St Mura's Cross-Slab in Fahan and the Grianan of Aileach, which commands a fortress view of the Foyle and Swilly.

Burt Chapel, designed by the late architect, Liam McCormick, on the fort's theme, represented modern architectural approaches to the ecclesiastical heritage, while the council also visited the national park and gardens at Glenveagh.

The council has a direct economic relevance to groups with ideas and initiative, but without financial support to protect or enhance the environment.

It runs a grant scheme, and is also funding four heritage officers in Cos Galway, Sligo, Kerry and Kilkenny in conjunction with the local authorities over the next three to five years. And it intends to identify the priorities at national level for State spending on heritage through a series of policy papers.

These include priorities in relation to the impact of forestry and agriculture, building regulations and architectural design. The council, which has attracted some criticism itself for its own plans to build a new headquarters in Kilkenny, believes its policy statements will play a fundamental role in the development of the national heritage plan announced recently by the Minister.