An Taisce highlights failure to protect heritage

Carton House has not been included in a list of protected structures, as required by the Planning and Development Act, because Kildare County Council has not compiled a list, An Taisce claimed yesterday.

Launching a report on the protection afforded by local authorities to the State's heritage buildings, An Taisce said it indicated a poor level of compliance with the Council of Europe's Grenada Convention on Heritage - much of it on the part of local authorities.

An Taisce instanced a number of local authority actions - including the installation by Cavan Town Council of PVC windows in its own heritage building, in contravention of heritage and planning requirements.

It also named heritage properties throughout the State which were at risk because the local authorities had either failed to list the structures for protection, or had failed to take relevant enforcement proceedings.

Mr Ian Lumley, of An Taisce, said Carton House "remained unprotected" and was "currently being enveloped by extensions, housing and a golf course".

He also mentioned Tyrone House and Woodlawn House in Co Galway which he said the local authority was failing to protect.

In addition to the failure of local authorities to transfer their initial development plan listings of heritage buildings into a more formal list of protected structures, some local authorities had delisted buildings. He instanced the old bank building in Ballina, Co Mayo.

Mr Lumley said many local authorities - including one of the State's largest county councils - had failed to produce a list of the property interests of its members and senior staff.

He called for auctioneers - "and possibly solicitors" - to be restricted from taking part as councillors in the development plan review process. Mr Lumley said this was because there was a potential conflict of interest in a town councillor debating a possible listing or development decision and acting for one of the parties involved. Currently there were requirements for councillors to declare their own interests - and these were not always met - but there were no requirements to declare a "client" list.

Another issue raised by An Taisce was the decision to demolish the old mill building in Sligo town "because the councillors said it was a relic of slavery".

Mr Michael Smith, chairman of An Taisce, said that because councillors made representations on behalf of people who lobbied them, "they somehow believed this was acting in the public interest".

He said Mr Justice Quirke had recently rejected an argument by Meath County Council that its development plan was structured to reflect the interest of the electorate, finding instead it more accurately reflected the interest of landowners.

Mr Smith is currently challenging the Meath County Development Plan on grounds that it fails to comply with Strategic Planning Guidelines.

An Taisce also says it is angered that in the five years since the Government launched a strategy for protection of the built heritage, the situation has deteriorated. It said it has now written to the Council of Europe complaining about Ireland's non-compliance with the Granada Convention.