THE Irish government is to set up a national trust to protect the countryside and buildings of historical important.

Martin Cullen, the environment minister, said he wanted an overhaul of the system although firm proposals will not be ready until late 2005.

The move will cast doubt on the future of An Taisce and the Heritage Council, which currently act as defenders of the country’s heritage.

An Taisce has become something of a bête noire for farmers and developers alike. It recently lost a high-profile battle to stop once-off housing, dubbed the “bungalow blitz” by environmentalists. The government ruled that farmers had the right to allow children to build on their land, provided the houses met planning restrictions.

The minister said he did not mean to threaten An Taisce, but admitted the lobby group had become “the pariah of a large segment of Irish society”.

“The state on its own is not going to have the resources as we go forward for the wealth of heritage that exists in Ireland,” he said. “Other countries have advanced the concept of national trusts, which bring in a lot of private sector money. It is something the taoiseach is very, very committed to.”

Asked if he intended to review the status of An Taisce, specifically its entitlement to get notice from the planning authorities of all applications, he said: “I am not going to threaten An Taisce’s position. An Taisce fulfils a lot of positive roles but it has allowed itself to be polarised. I think, through its own mistakes, it has become the pariah of a large segment of Irish society.

“It needs to correct that. I see signs and evidence that perhaps it is beginning to take a more rounded view of these issues.

“It has an important role to play, but equally the Irish Rural Dwellers’ Association has an important role.”

The minister said it was “appalling” and “absolutely wrong” that An Taisce had moved some 15 months ago to expel three new members who voiced dissent.

“We give far too much status to unelected organisations that can be set up by one person as I’ve seen in some cases,” he said.

While much work will now have to be done comparing various national trust models in Europe and beyond, a strong, well-structured, widely representative heritage body is likely to emerge.

Raising private capital as well as public money, it could step in to purchase, restore and manage buildings and land of public importance, to avoid putting undue strain on state finances.

Such a body could have negotiated with the Gore-Booth family for the purchase of Lissadell House in Co Sligo last year. Significant houses and estates purchased by the national trust could be opened for public visits, and become self-sustaining through the income derived.

An Irish national trust could also develop close ties with local authorities, stepping in to save buildings such as disused churches or other religious-owned property for community purposes.

The Heritage Council would probably be subsumed into the national trust.

Cullen said: “People in rural Ireland were simply being blocked at every hand’s turn from building their own home. I have tried to set out the principles in a fairly robust set of guidelines, but if more needs to be done, we will do that.”

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