profligate misuse of taxpayers'
money
Dear sir - The full page advertisement the National Roads
Authority (NRA) took in national newspapers justifying
its decision to run a road through the Tara Valley and,
in the process, commit an act of cultural vandalism is
full of half-truths and convenient omissions (Meath
Chronicle, 18th. December).
It repeats the claim that the M3 will be twice as far
away from Tara as the existing N3 but even a cursory look
at the map shows that this is not true. This profligate
misuse of taxpayers' money highlights the David and
Goliath-like inequality of the planning process.
Individuals or groups that make submissions, no matter
how important, have to depend exclusively on their own
financial resources. The NRA, on the other hand, can
shell out tens of thousands of euro from the public purse
spinning its side of the story.
By the way, in anthropology, the study of religion and
theology, myth has positive connotations. Obviously the
spin doctors at the NRA are not aware of this despite the
fact that Tara is so entwined with our pre-Celtic, Celtic
and Christian heritage!
Yours sincerely,
FR. SEAN McDONAGH,
St Columban's,
Dalgan Park,
Navan.
© The Meath Chronicle, December, 2004.
