The Tara Bypass – what they won’t tell you
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This is disgraceful… However the real question is why the rush to build the Blundelstown Interchange?
Anyone for a game of rezonings? 😡
[quote=”Campaign To Save Tara
Press Release – Immediate Release 18-July”:3dh4dfu1]Save Tara Campaign Condemns Imprisonment of Peaceful Protesters
The Campaign to Save Tara condemns today’s imprisonment of four peaceful
protesters arising out of today’s protests at the site of the proposed
Blundlestown interchange in the Tara/Skryne Valley.The trouble was sparked when contractors and security personnel acting for
SIAC/Ferrovial attempted to establish a machinery depot in the middle of the
Valley, at the proposed site of the 25-acre Blundlestown interchange.Minister Gormley who has previously spoken out against the proposed
route of the M3 was particularly vehement in his opposition to the
siting of a massive intersection so close to the summit of the Hill of Tara.The four men, two from the locality, one from Donegal and the other an
English national were arrested under Public Order legislation. Three
Irish women including Save Tara spokesperson Dr. Muireann Ni Bhrolchain
were also arrested but later released.Muireann Ni Bhrolchain said]
Meanwhile, from yesterdays Irish Times:
@Irish Times wrote:
Dublin ‘Love Tara’ march to call for rerouting of motorway
Jamie Smyth in BrusselsCampaigners protesting against the route of the M3 motorway near the Hill of Tara are to hold a “Love Tara” march and demonstration in Dublin on Saturday.
TaraWatch will hand in a petition with 50,000 signatures calling on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Minister for the Environment John Gormley to reroute the M3 motorway away from the Tara archaeological complex.
Meanwhile, campaigners in Brussels presented a petition, signed online by 12,000 people, calling for a halt to work on the site, to EU and Irish officials yesterday. The petition asks the Taoiseach to intervene personally to choose an alternative route for the motorway.
Fionnuala Devlin, spokeswoman for Protect the Tara International Campaign, said people throughout Europe thought the Government was acting “like the Taliban” by destroying part of its unique archaeological heritage.
“Most of the people who signed the petition are from Germany. But we also have people from Ireland, the US, England Australia and other countries,” said Ms Devlin, who has co-ordinated an international campaign to save the Hill of Tara from the proposed route of the M3.
She presented the petition to the Irish Embassy and the Irish permanent representative office to the EU in Brussels. She also presented it to the petitions committee in the European Parliament and to the commission’s environmental directorate. MEPs on the petitions committee have agreed to send an urgent letter to Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas requesting that he intervene to immediately halt any further work on the site of the M3.
Mr Dimas has already written to the Irish Government warning that aspects of the planned motorway, just one kilometre from the Hill of Tara, could be in breach of EU law.
Munster MEP Kathy Sinnott, who attended the petitions committee meeting, said MEPs had also agreed to write to Mr Gormley, Mr Dimas and the chair of Meath County Council to have any further work halted.
Ms Sinnott said she hoped the presentation of the signatures would convince the Government “that Tara is a historical and valuable area that extends beyond our shores”.
Vincent Salafia, one of the organisers of the Dublin parade said he hoped the protest would be peaceful.
Marchers will gather at 12.30 at the Garden of Remembrance and march up O’Connell Street to the Department of the Environment at Custom House Quay.
Mr Salafia said more than 10,000 of the signatures were taken in the last week alone, which he claimed was evidence of a turning point in the debate following the recent intervention by the EU Commission.
Laura Grealish of TaraWatch said: “We want to compel a political solution, rather than being forced to go to court.”
© 2007 The Irish Times
A “Love Tara” march in Dublin? What sort of image does this imply; what other march in recent years had a “Love
” in the title? Oh let me see now, wasn’t it the “Love Ulster” march which predictably ended in a riot? Such nasty, hostile, and discrediting connotations as the loaded title are further compounded by Mr. Salafias quote that he “hoped the protest would be peaceful”.This is all a real shame as it seems to me that it discredits/ alienates others from an otherwise incredibly important issue.
Why does the media continue to give an unjustifiable space to Mr. Salafia, a seemingly rather devisive individual – particularly when there are plenty of credible sorts such as Conor Newman, Muireann Ni Brolichain, Julitta Clancy etc?
It seems to me that Mr Salafias agenda is not neccessarily as pure as it may first seem… And all the time destruction continues at Tara. 🙁
@hutton wrote:
Why does the media continue to give an unjustifiable space to Mr. Salafia, a seemingly rather devisive individual – particularly when there are plenty of credible sorts such as Conor Newman, Muireann Ni Brolichain, Julitta Clancy etc?
(Hutton
You would probably be best placed to answer this question yourself, seeing as you have posted the article here on what is a high profile thread (having received approx 200 views in 24 hrs)You have in effect extended his media profile by your posting
:confused:I say keep Salafia where he is: he does the Tara case more harm than good, fair play to him
Now listen up kids: here’s the most important article on Tara written this week:
State expert plays down impact of M3 on the Hill of Tara
21 July 2007
Irish Independent
(c) 2007 Independent Newspapers Ireland LtdA SENIOR state archaeologist last night said fears about the impact of the controversial M3 motorway on the Hill of Tara had been misplaced.
The National Roads Authority’s (NRA’s) Mary Deevy said she believed the proposed road would not impact on the Tara landscape in Co Meath.
She also said the road was further from the ancient site than the existing carriageway. Ms Deevy was speaking as she gave journalists a guided tour of the archaeological excavations at the newly discovered national monument at Lismullen, near the Tara monument, which she agreed should be preserved by record.
This comes as environmentalists plan to take to the streets of Dublin tomorrow for a ‘Love Tara’ march, before presenting the Government with a petition demanding the road be re-routed.
“I think Tara is a very special place, but I think some people have overestimated the impact (of the motorway),” Ms Deevy said.
“There is no way to change their minds until the project is finished and they can see for themselves.”
Ms Deevy reiterated the State’s position that the motorway would not impact on the Tara monument and would be further from the ancient site than the existing road.
She added some fears about the future development of the Tara area were legitimate, but said a landscape conservation scheme was being considered by Meath County Council which had been included in the current county development plan.
gasp shock. Woman employed by NRA says we should build a motorway!!! is this the best you can do? It’s further away therefore it’s grand. It’s like demolishing a bungalow and buiding Liberty Hall 20 yards further from the public road.
Open Letter to John Gormley, Minister for the Environment
Dear John Gormley,
At our meeting on Wednesday 27th. June, you told the Petitions Committee that you would make the entire Tara file public. I as Vice-President of the Committee and my fellow members have been waiting to receive a copy, but as yet you have not provided one.
When do you intend to do this? Had it been done sooner we would have known that the Government has been put on notice by the European Commission that the Environmental Impact Assessment for the whole M3 project is no longer valid thus making it unlawful.
Further, the European Commission has informed you it is challenging the National Monuments Act on which the continuation of the M3 project in its present route is based. Had you opened the file as promised and in a timely manner rather than leaving me to unearth the truth only recently, the public would have discovered that the government is in the European Court of Justice this autumn over the current illegality of the M3 project and clearly road works should be halted until the ECJ makes its ruling. The NRA would also have been unable to claim ignorance of the illegality of the project as they are currently doing.
With this in mind, I must demand that you open the entire Tara/M3 file to the public as promised and that you do so now. In the interest of the transparency and dedication to our environment we all hoped your party would bring to this government, I insist that you release the Tara/M3 file to the public, the petitions committee and to me.
Tara is a treasure which cannot be replaced, I would have hoped that you would move heaven and earth to preserve it. If you are willing to sacrifice Tara, what hope have we of preserving anything else?
Yours in hope,
Kathy Sinnott,
Member of the European Parliament,
20th. July 2007.New Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) Cases Week ended: 13th July 2007
Meath County Council
Case reference: 17 EN3001
Case Type: Changes-Local Authority road development
Description: Ministerial Directions on National Monument at Lismullen, County Meath – M3 Clonee to North of Kells Motorway Scheme.
Category: Local Authority Project
Date lodged: 09-07-2007
Applicant: National Roads Authority (Road Authority)
EIS required: No
Status: Case is due to be decided by 12-11-2007From An Bord Pleanala’s website http://www.pleanala.ie/lists/2007/sid/new_sid20070713.htm
EU officials urge halt to M3 work July 30, 2007
EU officials have called on the Irish Government to halt work on part of the M3 motorway after concern was expressed about the impact on newly discovered ruins at the Hill of Tara, it emerged today.
In a letter to Minister for the Environment John Gormley, chairman of the union’s petitions committee Marcin Libicki said that in light of the 2000-year old ruins found at Lismullin, work on that section of the project should be halted and a route review carried out.
The committee received a number of protest letters about the motorway route from environmentalists.
Earlier this month MEP Kathy Sinnott claimed the construction work was illegal as under EU Law the project needed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
While one was carried out in 2003 it was done on the basis that no national monument lay in the motorway’s path.
A spokesman for Mr Gormley said the minister’s concern was the proper excavation of the Lismullin ruins and he is seeking legal advice on the EIA.
“Several members [of the committee] voiced concerns about recent developments related to the M3 project at Tara and Lismullin and the Skryne Valley,” Mr Libicki wrote.
“Many members, including myself, share the view that in the light of the discovery of previously unrecorded, yet vitally important archaeology on the current route at Lismullin and nearby, urgent action is needed to halt existing works in this area and to review the routing of this section of the M3 motorway.”
The Lismullin site, thought to be over 2000 years old, was discovered during work on the road project in April and was later given national monument status.
In one of his final acts of office, former Minister for the Environment Dick Roche controversially signed an order of preservation by record for the site, meaning the prehistoric henge would be photographed, sketched and measured before being razed to make way for the motorway.
Following advice from the Attorney General, Mr Gormley said he had no power to review the order and state archaeologists claimed the ruins were too fragile to be preserved.
Mr Libicki said Europe’s common heritage must be protected.
“I am very much aware of the fact that there are many complex factors to be taken account of in ordering a review but I trust the outcome will be a decision which complies with Ireland’s obligations under EU law and which respects and protects a most important feature of Europe’s common heritage,” he wrote.
A spokesman for Mr Gormley said an immediate reply was issued to the letter, in which he stressed his powerlessness to re-route the motorway, but reiterated his desire to properly excavate the fragile Lismullin ruins.
© 2007 ireland.comHaving read the thread, I’m amazed to see the future of the endemic corruption and myopic vision that has formed such a part of Ireland’s recent development is secure in the hands of so many subscribers to this site.
Please don’t anyone dare to quote an expert or authority no matter how qualified or esteemed the archaeologist is from DOE or NRA in saying that what is currently being destroyed is not of international significance. They know where their bread is buttered and are more worried about their mortgages, bonuses and pensions than any mound of earth in Meath, they are simply props for their employers.
Just so you’re aware, the so called ‘experts’ at the time from the governing bodies and the national university institutions also stated that the Newgrange complex itself was a simple burial chamber of no significant importance. This is a documented fact. It was only due to the diligence of some amateur archaeologists, who literally broke into the monument and explored the portal, surrounding chambers and carvings in the dead of night that the whole truth about the sheer complexity and scale of the Newgrange site was exposed for all the world to share and marvel at, how it related to celestial and solar events as well as alignments with other sites over a large radius. And just so you know its still under investigation as all its secrets have not yet been revealed. Martin Brennans “Stones of Time” covers much of this clandestine work conducted by people who would be referred to as eco-Nazis by those in the pro-M3 bypass ‘camp’ . (camp seems a bad word to use for these people with its connotations of dirt and earth and mud, maybe the pro-M3 ‘gated-community’ would be more appropriate)
Anyways please don’t quote an expert saying what is being destroyed now is not of significance, you or they simply cant know for sure. Suffice to say that if the same logic those who are pro the current M3 routing was applied then, potentially we would not have Newgrange, a location paraded for all the world to see on all current government, tourist and heritage forums.
It all smarts of those US marines during the fall of Baghdad, who stood armed guard outside the Iraqi Oil ministry whilst next door the looters pillaged the Iraqi museum of antiquities. As least they had an excuse and were under orders, we seem to be bulldozing our way through our heritage of our own free will. The guilty know who they are, may the sins of the father and mother(Sue) rest on your sons and daughters, unfortunately my kids will suffer too.. f*&k it!
The route is chosen – the road is under construction. Its interesting that you and others come out protesting at the top of your voices only AFTER the planning process was complete. Also lets not mention no one gave a sh*te about the Hill of Tara before the M3 was planned. I know because I was a regular visitor there. End of story. The road is further away then the current N3. No sympathy.
@darkman wrote:
The route is chosen – the road is under construction. Its interesting that you and others come out protesting at the top of your voices only AFTER the planning process was complete. Also lets not mention no one gave a sh*te about the Hill of Tara before the M3 was planned. I know because I was a regular visitor there. End of story. The road is further away then the current N3. No sympathy.
yep and sellafield is further away than that fiat uno with the dodgy exhaust in the car park, but I;m more concerned about the former. Yours is an argument made redundant a million times over.
alonso wrote:yep and sellafield is further away than that fiat uno with the dodgy exhaust in the car park, but I]Really? How is that? I have real concerns regarding the infrastructure deficit in this country. Our future is vital to that being rectified ASAP. That is far more important to me then this nonsense. Anywhere you build anything in Ireland your going to find rocks and bones from another age. Incidentally the argument of ‘corruption’ I find is the last sanctuary of those who have lost both the argument and the cause. There is no evidence whatsoever of corruption in the M3 case. Like I say the motorway is under construction. Its over. Why dont you just move on?
I would move on but sadly the well connected landowners of Meath have dictated that the train line to Navan would be postponed indefinitely. Talk about infrastructure deficit? no need to look at roads. Line BX, Metro North Metro West, Bray LUAS, QBCs. new buses, T2, Citywest LUAS, etc etc
@alonso wrote:
I would move on but sadly the well connected landowners of Meath have dictated that the train line to Navan would be postponed indefinitely. Talk about infrastructure deficit? no need to look at roads. Line BX, Metro North Metro West, Bray LUAS, QBCs. new buses, T2, Citywest LUAS, etc etc
Yes and all are progressing as far as im aware. I take a very dim view of wasting tax payers money – my money, your money. However when roads and other projects are held up every day that costs us (the tax payers) in one form or another. I am not unsymphatetic to heritage or the environment but the time to argue against the M3 was when the plan first appeared 7 or 8 years ago now. That did not happen. It went through the planning process pretty much unchallenged. Thats democracy. So the protestors should stop wasting our time and money and accept that they were too late off the mark with this. Any Carrickmines or Glen of the Downs type nonsense is only going to really annoy the general public far from gaining them any support.
Also no one should claim corruption unless they have solid evidence to prove it. Its not fair on those in the NRA who are just doing their jobs. Whatever about county councillors – who I have VERY little time for but still please provide evidence before making accusations IMO.
Well considering I made no accusations of corruption, I’ll ignore your advice, while passively endorsing it.
I’m also confused as to your stance on taxpayers money. Fianna Fail are building 3 parallel motorways through Meath only a hairs breath apart. to serve little but commuter sprawl, adding to the costs of all that goes with a car dependent culture. So you’re happy for money to be flushed down this particular toilet but not when people try to stop this? A lesson in sustainable development for you my friend – it relates as much to pollution as it does to economic sustainability. If you ever have the pleasure of hearing Eamonn Ryan speak on this matter, you should listen carefully.
Darkman I’m undererwhelmed by yours and others argument for the M3 … stuff like “the road is under construction, its over, why don’t you just move on” “and no one should claim corruption unless they have evidence” doesn’t present a case for the routing, And all this blather about progress and infrastructure , your not even discussing the concerns raised the routing, its not even verbiage its more like verbage really. … Are you Bertie in disguise , as it certianly sounds like him when he has been rattled and he pulls out the my stick is bigger than yours.
Theres little hope in arguing with you or your ilk as one can deduce from your own statements that if in the morning the bulldozers uncovered a site of equal significance to a Woodquay or a Newgrange combined then you would simply say ‘ah sure we have started the road so lets drive on through these old bones and stones’ .
I can see that the neo-con republican (as in US republican) pro-industrial complex spirit is alive and well here in Ireland hope you enjoyed the FF tent at the Galway races.FYI ive no connection whatsoever with FF or the Galway races. Your reasoning does little to back up your condemnation of my posts on this topic. However the important thing is ‘you and your ilk’ are being ignored in favour of progress which I support.
Ah ‘progress’ yes that word was used in exactly the same context as when the ESB pulled down houses on Fitzwilliam Street, and when the Hume Street Houses were demolished, etc etc etc.
This road is not progress, it is merely to facilitate more unsustainable planning in this country
if in the morning the bulldozers uncovered a site of equal significance to a Woodquay or a Newgrange combined then you would simply say ‘ah sure we have started the road so lets drive on through these old bones and stones’ .
If they DO find a Wood Quay or a Newgrange on the M3 route, we would NOT simply say let’s drive through it. This is the sort of dishonest argument we have to cope with all the time from eco lulus, as Bertie might call them. Set up a straw man, knock it down, cheer. If they DO find a Newgrange on the M3 route, I will (a) eat my hat and (b) completely and totally agree that the M3 should be rerouted.
However, they haven’t and they won’t find Newgrange or Wood Quay on this route. All they will find is a “henge” of no significance, and the bones of a big dead dog. Therefore, all the comparisons between Newgrange and the M3 are complete and utter nonsense. Don’t waste your time making any more of them, Letterfrack person.
Stick to the argument, stick to the route, on with the road!
@Sloan wrote:
New Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) Cases Week ended: 13th July 2007
Meath County Council
Case reference: 17 EN3001
Case Type: Changes-Local Authority road development
Description: Ministerial Directions on National Monument at Lismullen, County Meath – M3 Clonee to North of Kells Motorway Scheme.
Category: Local Authority Project
Date lodged: 09-07-2007
Applicant: National Roads Authority (Road Authority)
EIS required: No
Status: Case is due to be decided by 12-11-2007From An Bord Pleanala’s website http://www.pleanala.ie/lists/2007/sid/new_sid20070713.htm
I called the Bord today and they said they will have a decision on this next week. The decision will have major ramifications, particularly in light of the fact that the EU Commission sent a Reasoned Opinion to the Irish Government recently, stating that the National Monuments Act is in breach of EIA Directives because it does not give provide for a second stage EIA when there is demolition of a national monument, which was not detected in the original EIA. Here is a copy of a question by Kathy Sinnott to the Commission and their response:
Question to the Commission regarding Tara asked by Kathy Sinnott MEPThe World Monument Fund has just included Tara in its list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites.
I would like to know the current position of the Commission in relation to the road construction work in the area of the Hill of Tara, Co Meath, Ireland, and the general issue of the proposed route for the M3.
Could you also please briefly sketch the history of the Commission’s position and its interaction with the Irish authorities?
Answer from the Commission 10th July 2007
The Commission is only in a position to intervene in a matter of this kind if there is some procedural flaw.
The Commission received a significant number of complaints about the environmental impact assessment (EIA) undertaken for the M3 motorway project in 2003 but, based on the evidence received, was unable to identify any such flaw up to and including the Planning Appeals Board 2003 decision.
However, in a quite separate case, the European Court of Justice has recognised that decisions to approve projects may unfold in more than one stage and that it may be inappropriate to limit the possibility of EIA to an early stage as new circumstances and new factors may arise at the time of a second-stage decision.
In June our attention was drawn to a new decision relating to the M3 project – namely the decision under the National Monuments Act, 2004 to allow the demolition of the Lismullin national monument, which had been discovered in 2007 and was unknown at the time of the original EIA. Our attention was also drawn to the fact that the National Monuments Act made no provision for the possible need for an EIA in respect of such a decision.
As it happened, the Commission already had an infringement procedure open against Ireland for excluding demolition works from the scope of its implementation of the EIA Directive, 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.
On 29 June 2007, the Commission notified a Reasoned Opinion (final warning) to Ireland in relation to the demolition issue. By way of illustration of what the exclusion can mean in practice, the Reasoned Opinion mentions Lismullin (which was not specifically mentioned previously, as it only emerged as an issue in June of this year). It also raises the issue of the compatibility of the National Monuments Act, 2004 with the Directive and takes note of the World Monument Fund listing that you mention.
When the EIA was undertaken for the M3 in 2003, the assessment was on the basis that no national monument lay in the path of the road. The discovery and identification of Lismullin as a national monument in 2007 represents a circumstance that was not – and could not – have been taken into account at the time of the (first-stage) EIA. However, the National Monuments Act, 2004 makes no provision for (second-stage) EIA in relation to decisions allowing for destruction of national monuments that were unknown at the time of a first-stage EIA.
A response is not expected for two months.
I hope that this clarifies the matter for you.
If the Act doesn’t provide for a new EIA, then how did the matter end up with the Bord? A spokesperson there today said that Minister Roche was required under the National Monuments Act 2004 to instruct the roads authority to submit the Directions he gave to the Bord for a determination if this is a material change to the project. The Bord can order a new Environmental Impact Statement, they say. This is clearly the case under Section 14 A of the Act
The problem we have is that Minister Gormley won’t release the Reasoned Opinion sent by the Commission. The Gov press officer is saying they can’t release it. The Commission say they don’t have the power to release it but the local authority does. So much for Gomrley being open and accountable.
What the EU seem to be saying is that a new EIA should automatically be ordered, or possibly that the Minister should have the power to order a new EIA.
Regardless, Gormley should place a Temporary Preservation Order on the site, and preserve the structure until the Bord and the Commission have had a chance to reach their respective conclusions. But clearly he just doesn’t want to rock the boat.
Irish Independent – Fri Aug17 2007
Planning board will decide if M3 route needs fresh approvalAN BORD Pleanala is to decide within weeks if the discovery of a national monument on the path of the controversial M3 motorway should compel planners to seek fresh approval for the route.
The National Roads Authority have asked the planning appeals board to decide if the excavations of the Lismullin national monument are a “material change†to the approved scheme and if a new planning application is required.
If the board rule that the road scheme is now different to the one approved in September 2003, it could require a fresh planning application to be lodged, which would lead to huge delays in delivering the motorway.
The Lismullin ritual site was discovered earlier this year but former Environment Minister Dick Roche directed that it be preserved “by record†– which means excavation before it is removed from the road’s path.
The National Monuments Act requires the road authority to submit these new directions to the board, which is expected to decide in the coming weeks if the motorway will require a fresh planning application.
Yesterday TaraWatch called on Environment Minister John Gormley to halt excavation works on the prehistoric ritual site while the board reviews the planning permission.
“The minister appears to be acting in bad faith here, by allowing demolition of the national monument to proceed while the board is making its legal determination,†spokesman Vincent Salafia said. “Minister Gormley must stop the demolition by the NRA and Meath County Council now and permit only the excavation of the delicate features now exposed on the surface.
“This magnificant prehistoric amphitheatre, which sits in plain view of the hilltop, deserves the highest level of protection possible.â€
The Department of the Environment has said it does not have the power to alter the route of the road unless a “material change†or new information emerges.
– Paul Melia
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