John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

It is already the case that if they wish local authorities can appoint heritage officers with the assistance of the Heritage Council. The Deputy is aware that because of budgetary constraints grants to the Heritage Council, which is based in his native city and which does a very fine job, have had to be cut somewhat although not as much as could otherwise have been the case. The points Deputy Hogan made on demarcation and the fact that we do not have enough flexibility in the public service are valid. We need to seriously examine how we employ people and the type of job they can do effectively. I believe that type of strict demarcation belongs to another era. We have 30,000 civil servants and 300,000 public servants. I do not see why people in the public service working in the environmental section of a local authority cannot come to my Department; that does not make any sense to me.

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