Heritage Council boss questions body’s work in face of cutbacks

The head of the State body for overseeing Ireland’s built, cultural, and natural heritage has admitted he regularly questions the work it does in the face of a lack of resources and the impact it may have on the health of his staff.

Michael Starrett, the chief executive of the Heritage Council, said the organisation was continuously delivering way beyond what its current capacity should allow.

In the Heritage Council’s annual report for 2014, due to be published shortly, Mr Starrett remarks: “Whilst I want to thank everyone involved (internal and external to the organisation) for the part they are playing in that ongoing work, I continually ask myself, is the current level of effort sustainable, or indeed healthy?”