Minister for the Environment Dick Roche has defended a cap on the limit of tax concessions which will apply to the new Irish Heritage Trust, launched yesterday. The Minister also defended the absence of any input from An Taisce, which styles itself "The National Trust for Ireland" and which has a history of acquiring heritage properties for conservation. In Russborough House, Co Wicklow, yesterday, Mr Roche said the limit of €6 million in tax concessions for donations would not hamper the Heritage Trust's ability to acquire significant properties. Each property would be the subject of an individual deal and in some instances, individual donors might want to remain living in the properties when they transferred to State ownership.
