Michael Starrett is not so much a man on a mission as a man on several missions. As chief executive of the Heritage Council with a core staff of 15 working in the Co Kilkenny headquarters, he initiates, develops and then aims to implement policies on all aspects of heritage in Ireland. Educating the public on the value of local and national heritage is another central part of the work of the Heritage Council. Now in existence 11 years, the Heritage Council has had varied success in pushing the heritage agenda. A statutory agency, it was set up in 1995 with a brief to develop policies on heritage matters. All staff members are employed on rolling contracts, including Starrett himself, who has recently begun his third five-year contract. Each year, the Heritage Council has to submit funding applications to the Department of Environment. This arms-length relationship with Government has had mixed results. On the one hand, it has allowed the Heritage Council to forge ahead on policies in line with European heritage tradition, yet on the other, it has left the council powerless when the Department of Environment dragged its heels, and has arguably allowed the destruction of some of our heritage through insensitive development.
