M3 contractors continue with
motorway work
- near Rath Lugh
By - John Donohoe.
THE contractors for the M3 motorway were yesterday
(Tuesday) erecting fencing along the route of the
motorway at Lismullin, close to the Rath Lugh national
monument, following a three-day standoff last week which
saw a protestor chain herself into a tunnel on motorway
route.
Protestors against the motorway had spent a number of
months digging a tunnel into the side of a hill on which
the Rath Lugh National Monument stands, and when workers
began site clearance work last week, Kerry woman Lisa
Feeney, a psychology graduate known by her nickname
"Squeak", began a protest in the 10-feet deep tunnel.
Gardaí were on the scene on Thursday morning last
as the M3 contractors attempted to move the protestors
off the route of the motorway. A number of arrests were
made.
The Gardaí and contractors succeeded in moving the
protestors behind security barriers, apart from Ms.
Feeney and a friend who was in communication with her via
walkie-talkie, and four protestors who were chained to a
barrel on the site.
Ms. Feeney eventually left the tunnel on Saturday night
following an appeal from her father and discussions with
the National Roads Authority (NRA) which clarified and
confirmed a number of points regarding the work on that
section of the motorway.
Michael Egan of the NRA this week said that work was
continuing as the contractors had planned, and there was
no stay of a month on it, as claimed by the campaigners
at the weekend.
The authority had confirmed and clarified a number of
issues with the protestors, and explained the protection
that would be put in place at the esker on which the
monument stood, he added.
A protection wall, known as a "crib wall", would be
constructed at the location, Mr. Egan explained. The
"land take" for the motorway was not encroaching on the
monument or on the protection zone around it, and Mr.
Egan said that the protection of the monument and the
construction of the motorway would not come into
conflict.
"This crib wall has been used in a number of projects,
including the Glen of the Downs, and is constructed
behind an embankment which is then planted to tone in
with the existing landscape", Mr. Egan said.
Fencing that was ongoing at the moment was necessary to
distinguish the boundaries of the construction site for
health and safety purposes and he appealed to the public
not to enter onto the construction site. Final designs on
the crib wall are being worked on.
"The work will not impact on Rath Lugh", he said. The
Rath was declared a national monument by Minister John
Gormley on Friday 7th. March last. He had placed a
temporary preservation on it last autumn.
The motorway is going closer to the monument than
originally thought, as a result of a mapping error on the
record of monuments and places map (RMP) compiled by the
Department of the Environment. When trees were cleared
from the hill or esker a year ago, it was discovered that
the monument was closer than thought.
On Thursday last, in the High court, Ms. Justice Mary
Laffoy dismissed an application for an injunction from
building surveyor Peadar O'Ceallaigh, Wolfe Tone Close,
Jervis Street, Dublin, who claimed Rath Lugh was under
threat from the construction work.
The Green Party representative for Meath, Brian Flanagan,
last week called on Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey
to get the NRA, for which he is responsible, to alter the
proposed route of the M3 at Rath Lugh.
"The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local
Government, John Gormley, has done everything he is
allowed to do as regards preserving Rath Lugh", Mr.
Flanagan said.
"The permanent Preservation Order which he has signed
covers the monument itself and a buffer zone of 20m. This
does not include the portion of the esker within the road
take. It is not true to say, as others have done, that
the demarcation line on the esker is not known. I myself
have visited the site and can confirm that there is 33
metres available between the esker and the perimeter
fence erected by the NRA. Therefore the route of the
route can be moved easily by 20 metres without
encroaching on the esker at all".
Mr. Flanagan said that Minister Dempsey should be
reasonable and ensure that the NRA alters the route away
from the esker. "This will ensure that our heritage is
preserved and that no further taxpayers` money is wasted
on Garda security, fire brigade and other security
personnel at this National Monument", he added.
© The Meath Chronicle, 22nd. March 2008.
Related Articles:
Commencement
Rath Lugh Works. Statement, NRA.
NRA
Move in Diggers as Gormley Exits Site. Statement,
STC.
Activist says extra land lets M3 avoid Rath Lugh
site.
Squeak calls off her Tara protest.
M3 protester chains herself to tunnel in tense
stand-off.
Minister
Gormley places PPO on Rath Lugh. Statement,
DoEH&LG.
