Sir, - Michael Viney (Weekend, January 27th) stated that conservation organisations in Ireland believe that the State is doing as little for nature conservation as it can get away with. We would like to clarify how this view has been arrived at.
For the past six years the IPCC has been calling on Duchas, the State agency responsible for nature conservation, to carry out a survey of fens in Ireland. These valuable wildlife areas, recognised by the EU Habitats Directive, are under increasing threat (e.g. Pollardstown Fen), and unless a State-wide survey is undertaken many sites may be destroyed before their value is recognised.
The Irish Fen Inventory undertaken by the Irish Peatland Conservation in 2000 identified 65 new conservation-worthy fens. These are not listed by Duchas land have no legal protection. They are under immediate threat from drainage, landfill and reclamation. The IPCC has presented the results of its study to Duchas in the hope that this would initiate a comprehensive national survey of fens.
In the past Duchas has told us that a fen survey could not be carried out because of lack of finances. This excuse is no longer valid. The IPCC has been informed by senior Duchas staff that funds have now been set aside for such a survey.
Although Duchas agrees that a survey is required because of their incomplete information on fens, failure to implement the survey now seems to be due to a lack of political will and administrative failures within Duchas.
In the same Michael Viney article, a director of Duchas, Dr Alan Craig, was quoted as saying that a widespread breakdown of trust (between non-government organisations and Duchas) had occurred and that non-government organisations do not co-operate with Duchas. The IPCC feels these comments are misleading and that in fact any difficulties are the result of failures by Duchas to engage in real, meaningful dialogue and consultation with environmental groups in Ireland. Environmental groups are not treated as partners in the common goal of nature conservation in his country. - Yours, etc.,
Patrick Crushell, MSc, Conservation Officer, Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Capel Street, Dublin 1.