Vol. 413 No. 2
4 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach (1) the number of times the National Heritage Council have met as a council, (2) the number of meetings that have taken place with interest groups, (3) the number of interest groups that were met; and if he will give details of the interest groups, if any, which were met.
The National Heritage Council began work on 5 September 1988 and the information sought by the Deputy for the period to end September 1990 has been published in the Annual Report 1988-89 (PI. 7152) and the Annual Report 1989-90 (PI. 8126). I have arranged for copies of both reports to be sent to the Deputy.
Since September 1990 the full council have met on 11 occasions. I am circulating in the Official Report a schedule showing the organisations and groups which the council have met.
The functions of the National Heritage Council include working closely with and making representations to Government Departments, planning authorities, public bodies and State companies in relation to all matters coming within the council's general area of responsibility and ensuring the co-ordination of all activities in the heritage field, and deciding on the distribution of moneys allocated for heritage work subject to the approval of the Taoiseach and deciding on the priorities for such expenditure. Consequently contact with any of the organisations listed should be viewed as ongoing, is frequently at the instigation of the council or a committee of the council and can be to discuss general or specific issues. In addition, the council meet many organisations or individuals who have sought grant assistance for heritage projects.
Schedule — Organisations which the National Heritage Council have met from September 1990 to date.
Association of Professional Archaeologists; Bord Fáilte; Board of Visitors of the National Museum; Board of the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham; Board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art; Cork Corporation; Department of Education; Director, Down County Museum, Downpatrick; Dublin Corporation; Federation of Local History Societies; Foras Áiseanna Saothair; Galway Corporation; Galway West Tourism; Irish Heritage Education Network; Irish Professional Conservators and Restorers Association; Roundwood National Park Committee; School of Architecture, UCD; Tralee UDC.
May I ask the Taoiseach, given the dispersion of actual executive responsibility for heritage matters among a number of Departments, what role the National Heritage Council have performed in the area of co-ordination? Can he give an example of how matters have been co-ordinated by the existence of this council where they would not have been co-ordinated prior to their coming into existence?
I could give the Deputy many examples but not off the top of my head. This is a very important part of the work of the National Heritage Council. For instance, the list of bodies they have met would give an indication of the sort of co-ordinating work they do. The schedule includes the Board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Cork Corporation, the Director of Down County Museum, Downpatrick, Dublin Corporation, Galway Corporation, Galway West Tourism, the Irish Heritage Education Network and so on. They have met with State bodies like Coillte and organisations of that kind which either have a role or whose activities have an impact on the heritage. The council are very active in arranging round-table discussions with different bodies where there might be some conflict of activity in regard to heritage matters.
It all sounds a bit vague.
Question No. 5 please.
No, it is not. I would like to assure the Deputy this is a very active hard working council. They have done a marvellous job. For most of the members it is practically a full-time activity on a voluntary basis. They have been instrumental in achieving a great deal with a very small amount of money.
I am not suggesting that the body is not hard working but my concern is whether they have the authority to co-ordinate anything.
They have, they are an official body. I have made it clear to everybody concerned, and to all Ministers concerned, that they have this very important role. Their main area of co-ordination is with the Office of Public Works, and there the co-operation and the co-ordination is of the highest quality.
Let us now deal with questions nominated for priority to the Minister for Energy. Question No. 5 is in the name of Deputy Flaherty. There are questions nominated for priority for which 15 minutes only is provided in the Standing Orders of this House. Co-operation is, therefore, necessary to assist me in dealing with the five questions before us.
