Local authorities are failing to protect Ireland¿s architectural heritage and there are no procedures in place to oblige them to do so, according to environmental charity An Taisce.
At a press conference in Dublin today, An Taisce announced it would be making a formal complaint to the Council of Europe alleging that Ireland is not complying with the Granada Convention which obliges signatories to safeguard European heritage.
An Taisce chairman Mr Michael Smith said a Government strategy launched five years ago aimed at protecting Ireland's architectural heritage had never been honoured. He said a promised €12.7 million grant and fiscal relief scheme had never been fully implemented but still became subject of a 44 per cent cutback in what Mr Smith said was "one of Mr McCreevy's first cutbacks".
An Taisce said local authorities are not prosecuting those who allow historic buildings fall into disrepair or make changes to the inside of the buildings, which Mr Smith said in some cases amounted to "death by a thousand cuts".
An Taisce heritage officer Mr Ian Lumley called for a register of interest requiring local authority councillors to state if they are voting on any matters that may be of benefit to their business. Currently, local authority councillors are only obliged to declare property they own.
Mr Ian Lumley said: "Members of local authorities can be involved in the planning process and decision-making without declaring their interest ... the trading of favours ... [matters covered by] the Flood tribunal are still happening on a petty scale throughout the country."
Research carried out by An Taisce showed that many local authorities were failing to transfer `listed' buildings into as record of protected structures as required by 1999 legislation.
Mr Smith said that while decisions on heritage sites remained at the discretion of local authorities and the Minister for the Environment only has power to make recommendations to protect, there was little anyone could do to stop people and local authorities form breaching regulations governing heritage conservation.