Annie Given outlined the work of her team at the Environment and Heritage
Service. The department has eight staff, (and has to deal with three
languages). Computerisation currently extends to the archaeological SMR and
a separate historic buildings index. Gardens and Parks, maritime data,
defence and industrial survey data are still in manual forms. The SMR was
originally computerised from card indexes in 1973, and the department has
extensive experience of migrating from system to system, made easier by
carefully controlled standards. A GIS allows display and integration of
multiple heritage data layers, plus natural environment information.
Terminology standards are shared generally with the national organisations
for the Irish Republic. 'Townlands' form the basis for spatial searches.
Issues include the need to apply standards at the point of field survey.
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