Press Release. Campaign to Save Tara,
30th. July 2007, 19:35.
30th. July 2007, 19:35.
EU Committee Chairperson Repeats Calls
- for Work to Halt on "Illegal" M3
- for Work to Halt on "Illegal" M3
The chairperson of the influential EU Petitions Committee has written to Minister John Gormley calling for a halt to all construction work in the disputed Tara/Skryne Valley area. The letter states that: "urgent action is needed to halt existing works in this area and to review the routing of this section of the M3 motorway". (full text attached below) A similar letter is being sent to the Commissioner for the Environment, Stavros Dimas.
The letter from Marcin Libicki, Chairman of the Committee on Petitions confirms previous correspondence with Minister Gormley where the EU indicated that continuing works on the M3 were illegal under EU law governing the need for Environmental Impact Assessments. It goes on to state that many members at the recent meeting of the Committee voiced their concerns about "recent developments related to the M3 project at Tara and Lismullin and the Skryne Valley" and that serious damage was being done to sites of great archaeological and historical value and significance.
This letter and the EU argues that under law the discovery of the Lismullin National Monument constitutes a "material alteration" from the circumstances of the initial EIA. The Campaign is calling on Ministers Gormley and Dempsey to respect European Law and to cease all work within the Valley until the European Court of Justice has ruled on this issue.
The letter also said that the report of the committee's visit will be ready for discussion at the September 13th. meeting and that they welcome representatives from the Department of the Environment in Ireland.
Michael Canney, a spokesperson for the Campaign to Save Tara said today; "The removal or altering of a National Monument not previously subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment is illegal under European Law, and indeed the whole route selection process is flawed - you cannot pretend that the potential impacts were adequately assessed in this case because the National Monument was not discovered at the time of the 2003 Environmental Impact Assessment. In fact, all the discoveries along the proposed route indicate that the Tara landscape is an integrated complex and constitutes a National Monument in its own right".
"The Irish Government, like any member state, must respect EU law. After all, what is the point of the EU's existence at all if individual states simply cherry pick directives to suit their own convenience? These directives are designed for the common good and aren't issued lightly.
The Government chose to run a motorway through a complex of archaeological sites, against all professional, impartial advice. They are now choosing to disregard and flout EU regulations and directives.
Democracy - never mind heritage - is diminished by this whole affair and the wishes of both the Irish people and the dictates of the EU have been disregarded. This is another wake up call for the Irish Government". Mr. Canney added.
ENDS
Media queries:
Michael Canney
E-Mail: info@savetara.com
Web site: http://www.savetara.com
Related Articles:
EU Petitions Committee pleads for Tara.
Minister Gormley replies to Marcin Libicki.
Letter to John Gormley from Marcin Libicki.