Dr. Fred Logue:

I remind everyone that protected structures and architectural conservation comes under an international agreement, the Granada Convention, and it is not optional. The experience has been that the protected structure legislation has not been applied properly in recent case law.

Another look should be taken at including a greater range of prescribed bodies, both geographically and thematically. For example, An Taisce is obliged to cover the entire country. It operates on a fairly thin budget. An Taisce does excellent work but it would be great if a local NGO - now that environmental non-governmental organisations, ENGOs, are recognised under the Aarhus Convention and are in a special position - could register with a local authority as a prescribed body for a locality. You have to be imaginative about it.

My final point is that the private owner-occupier duties under the planning legislation are not being enforced at all. There is nothing you can do if somebody lets his or her protected structure deteriorate. The existing provisions are unenforceable as far as I can see.