Statement. Seán Ó Buachalla, Green Party,
2nd. May 2007.

Green candidate questions wisdom
- of continuing M3 construction,
- in wake of significant new archaeological discovery

The Green Party candidate for Meath East, Seán Ó Buachalla, has stated that the discovery of a massive new archaeological site at Lismullen on the route of the M3, seriously throws the current plans for the motorway into question and that the construction will inevitable run massively over budget, since this area is an archaeological gold mine and more discoveries like this are almost inevitable.

"Today's (Tuesday) discovery only highlights what a historically and archaeologically rich area this is and experts the world over had made this clear to the government and the NRA, when this motorway was originally planned. Yet they decided to ignore best advice and continue, come what may. Now the Irish taxpayer will have to pick up the tab for their short-sightedness, just like with every other badly planned and badly thought-out infrastructure project in this country in the last ten years", Mr. Ó Buachalla stated. "It was ridiculous to think that a motorway in such an area, being as it is near Tara, would not be held up continuously by massive archaeological excavations. This will lead to massive cost over-runs. Yet the government does not show half as much enthusiasm for re-opening the Navan to Dublin rail-link which could massively reduce gridlock in Meath in a short period, yet seems to get pushed back further and further and now seems destined not to open until 2010 at best", he continued.

"The Green Party in government will prioritise transport solutions for Meath that will not get bogged down in time consuming bureaucracy and archaeological digs. Certainly, the immediate reopening of the rail-link will be a priority for us, if we enter government", he concluded.