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Dept. of Environment's Archaeologist's Qualifications.

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  • 06-12-2005 1:53pm
    #1
    MontgomeryClift
    Registered Users Posts: 1,060 ✭✭✭


    I read in the Times yesterday that Brian Duffy, the chief archaeologist with the Department of The Environment, has only a BA degree in archaeology, which he obtained 30 years ago, with no real practical archaeological experience, and he was chosen for the job ahead of more experienced people with Masters' and PhDs.

    When an underqualified person is chosen for a job, what does that say about his employer? Obviously there must have been a reason for the choice, and that reason must have to do with some other aspect of his character, right?

    So when we see recent heritage and archaeological controversies like he M3 by Tara and the hotel beside Trim Castle, where the government is pushing the plans through against all logic, good taste and a lot of argument from more qualified archaeologists and the public in general, isn't it safe to assume that their chief arcaeologist was attractive to them because he could be relied upon to agree with whatever plans they had, and offer no objections?

    In other words, the chief archaeologist with the Dept. of The Environment seems to be just a rubber-stamp man, a yes man, or a puppet, if you like. And since Dúchas, the only real barrier between heritage and bad planning, was abolished by Bertie Ahern (whos idea of "sustainable development" is that development is to be sustained at all costs), the only real means of protection against bad planning are the local authorities. Does anybody not feel cheated by this? Is any person living near Trim Castle or the Skryne Valley really glad that protection of these things has been removed in favour of (often private and for-profit) development?


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