Madam, - In response to the the article "To The Manor Born" (Magazine, February 17th), may I point out that An Taisce, The National Trust for Ireland, has exactly the same "brief" as all other national trusts in Europe and elsewhere? This is "to take up the challenge of reducing and eventually of reversing, the progressive damage and destruction of our cultural and natural heritage" (The Edinburgh Declaration of National Trusts 2003).
It carries out these aims, as do all other national trusts, through three inter-related activities: advocacy on behalf of heritage, educational programmes and property ownership and management, for which, unlike trusts in other countries, it does not currently have the benefit of national trust legislation. An Taisce therefore remains committed to the conservation of Ireland's country house heritage and has not dropped this area from its remit.
An Taisce remains Ireland's only non-governmental trust dedicated to this aim. It continues to seek full national trust legislation, such as exists in Northern Ireland and many other countries, to adequately finance heritage property ownership.
The Irish Heritage Trust is a body financed by Government with a board appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, who has chosen to ignore both the existence and expertise of many organisations in his appointments. Unlike An Taisce, it is not a member of the International Heritage and National Trust Organisations. It may well succeed in the conservation of some part of our endangered country house heritage, which is to be welcomed. It is, however, far short of what is in existence in other countries in terms of its governance and scope.
The Republic remains without the legislation Northern Ireland has enjoyed for so many years - a national trust established by its own act of parliament at the request of the existing national trust society, with a governance based on 50 per cent nominations from like-minded bodies and 50 per cent representation from its members - an organisation truly representative of all, and a body capable of ensuring conservation "for everyone, for ever". - Yours, etc,
JOHN DUCIE,
President ENNHO,
Council Member, An Taisce,
The National Trust for Ireland,
The Tailors Hall,
Dublin 8.