Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo what Senators Boyhan and Higgins have said in support of the amendment and ask the Minister of State to consider them. The Valletta Convention and the Malta Convention contain some comprehensive definitions of what constitutes archaeological, cultural and architectural heritage. While there is a task in the context of transposing and transcribing that into the Bill, it is worth doing because we have no shortage of paper and print. We are a nation that is not short of words. It is not an insurmountable task. What we are short of is valuing our heritage. I will give an example.

Dún Mhic Aodh or Magee Barracks in Kildare town was the first purpose-built barracks in the State. It was built by John Sisk and Company in the 1930s. The entire barracks is a classic example of art deco architecture. It had terrazzo floors and the most extraordinary staircases and stair rails. Much of the materials used to build the barracks and the complex were Irish. The structure was neither listed nor preserved and was demolished by cranes and diggers last year. What a loss to the social history and military history of the State. It was done without any sort of reference to its value. I do not even know if Kildare County Council or the relevant authorities took any photographic record of it. We do not value our heritage in the way that other European states do. Some of the risks that are listed in the Valletta Convention include man-made natural disasters but also the activities of developers and urban planners who are not minded to pay attention to the extraordinary heritage that we have. I ask the Minister of State to incorporate the amendments into the Bill. I commend Senator Boyhan on tabling this amendment and thank Senator Higgins for seconding it.