It's all a bit of a muddle.
The belated news release appears to have been an after-thought
when the National Parks story looked like an attempted news diversion
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| DoE news Releases |
Why didn't the UK Department of Culture Media and Sport insist that the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment resolve the issues raised in the UNESCO request dated 20 December 2011** BEFORE making an announcement about the Bushmills Dunes golf resort? After all, it is the department responsible for the protection of UK World Heritage sites, including their status.
Added August 26
The muddle continues:
Can you believe after they demanded the Bushmills Dunes decision be brought to a Judicial Review, the National Trust wants to postpone it?
As a friend has put it, “another delaying tactic or preparing to back down?”
Added January 1, 2013
** Paul Blaker, DCMS WHS: "In fact, UNESCO did not request any information on 22 December and at the meeting in St Petersburg, the World Heritage Centre made clear that this was a factual error on their part. The letter requesting information is actually dated 31 January 2012 and it was sent to me on 2 February."
