Madam, - The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland notes the commitment of this Government to the enshrinement of Tara at the present Expo in Japan (The Irish Times, April 30th). How fortunate for the Japanese, and other visitors to Expo, to be able to view images of this unique site. What should be their experience should they ever come to Ireland to see the site and monuments for themselves?
It is not yet too late for the Minister for the Environment to be courageous in the matter of the proposed road through the greater Tara-Skryne valley.
More than 100 years ago this society campaigned vigorously to have ill-considered excavations by the British Israelites on the Hill of Tara stopped. On that occasion the digging ceased and the site was preserved. It would be a scandal if Tara were now to be sacrificed in the interests of short-term progress.
The society further urges the Minister to declare the greater Tara-Skryne valley an area of outstanding national and international significance and to grant it the same degree of protection as is afforded to the Boyne Valley.
The cases of Woodstown and Tara highlight the potential for conflict between the perceived development needs of the country and the need to preserve, document and research our physical heritage as represented by the many thousand archaeological sites in the country. This society calls on the Minister to ensure that planning, development and cultural policies preserve our rich archaeological heritage for present and future generations of researchers and for the enjoyment and education of the public.
If this is not done, future generations will castigate us as cultural vandals in the same way as we look back in amazement at some of the "improvement" actions of previous generations. - Yours, etc,
AIDEEN IRELAND,
President, Royal Society
of Antiquaries of Ireland,
Merrion Square,
Dublin 2.
Madam, - We were recently surprised to learn that Ministers for Health are not, it seems, responsible for what goes on under their noses in the health service, despite our innocent assumptions to the contrary.
Now, the Minister for the Environment would have us believe he does not have the authority to save that central piece of our heritage that is Tara.
This inaction continues in spite of the objections of the director of our own national museum, hundreds of experts worldwide, and countless thousands of ordinary citizens.
A Government of Ministers with neither responsibility for their charges, nor the authority to carry out their constitutional duties perhaps the doomsayers have a point, and the time has indeed arrived to start worrying about the state of our democracy. - Is mise,
THOMAS HAYES,
Moyvane,
Listowel,
Co Kerry.