Green Party accused of
U-turn
- in debate over M3 motorway works
By - Michael O'Regan.
THE GREEN Party was accused of doing a U-turn in its
attitude to the works near Rath Lugh national monument on
the new M3 motorway.
Joanna Tuffy (Labour, Dublin Mid West) said: "In
opposition, the Green Party was against the building of
this motorway, but its position has changed since going
into Government".
"It is important that if preservation orders are made in
respect of archaeological finds along the route, they are
strongly adhered to, and that the Department of the
Environment and the Government do everything in their
power to ensure that happens".
In an adjournment debate Ms. Tuffy said that a young
woman had chained her neck to a jack in a tunnel and the
fear was that if any attempt was made to remove her the
tunnel could collapse, putting her life in danger.
"A dangerous situation has arisen at the site. I do not
condone anyone putting their lives at risk in this way,
but statements from those protesting around the site
indicate that the tunnelling could put the monument at
risk in addition to endangering the lives of the
protesters and others around the site".
Ms. Tuffy said that a permanent preservation order had
been placed on the monument recently, but concerns had
been expressed about its implementation.
"They are concerned about the works being carried out so
close to the monument and whether the proper procedure is
being followed in terms of ensuring that the preservation
order is followed".
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Eamon Ryan said that he echoed Ms. Tuffy's concerns about
the importance of safety at the site.
He said that to assess the stability of the esker on
which the monument was located the Minister for the
Environment, John Gormley, had commissioned a report from
an independent firm of consultants with relevant
expertise in the matter.
Their report had recommended that a number of
precautionary measures be put in place to ensure that the
esker was not undermined during the nearby road
construction works or in the longer term.
The Department of the Environment had asked the National
Roads Authority to implement the measures which had been
outlined in the report, according to Mr Ryan.
© The Irish Times, 14th. March 2008.
Related Articles:
High Court rejects bid to halt work on M3
motorway.
M3 protester chains herself to tunnel in tense
stand-off.
Protester
sustained by peas and Pearse.
Tunnel protest fails to stop M3 work.
Minister
Gormley places PPO on Rath Lugh. Statement,
DoEH&LG.
Documentation regarding Rath Lugh. Release from
DoEH&LG.
