Over one-third of the State's historical monuments have been lost since the Ordnance Survey of 1830, with the destruction rate accelerating over the past decade, a seminar attended by the State's heritage officers was told yesterday, writes Anne Lucey
Mr Paddy Mathews, planning officer with the Heritage Council, told the one-day seminar in Kenmare, Co Kerry, that about 1 per cent of the State's 150,000 monuments are now lost each year.
Mr Mathews cited the destruction of the country's biodiversity and natural environment: "There is no one single big threat. There is death by a thousand cuts - ekeing away incrementally by small development of the natural and archaeological heritage."
Changes in agricultural practices as well as land changing hands had added to the destruction of monuments in recent times.
"People with intimate knowledge of the land no longer own it. Very often the destruction is not out of malice, but out of ignorance," Mr Mathews said.
If the present rate of destruction continued, "nothing would be left in 100 years". However, development and heritage could co-exist with proper planning and proper awareness locally.
Describing the 2001-2006 road development programme as "too ambitious within the timescale", Mr Mathews said that it would have been better to provide time for proper archaeological investigation at the beginning rather than have to interrupt and delay projects, a practice which added greatly to cost.
All but one of the State's heritage officers are on temporary contracts with their local authorities. Kerry this week became the first county to appoint its officer, Ms Una Cosgrave, to a permanent position.
By the end of 2004, all 34 local authorities will have appointed a heritage officer. Each officer's main task will be to draw up a five-year plan, decide what surveys need to be undertaken and "especially raise awareness of the heritage in their area".