All Welcome: 10,000 Signatures and Submission Delivered Regarding Hill of Tara and M3 Motorway

dublin | environment | event notice Wednesday November 03, 2004 14:51 by redjade

ALL WELCOME: Delegation to Hand-Deliver 10,000 Signatures and Submission to Minister Roche Regarding Hill of Tara and M3 Motorway?

SAVE TARA SKRYNE VALLEY GROUP

PRESS RELEASE

http://www.taraskryne.org

03.11.04

?Delegation to Hand-Deliver 10,000 Signatures and Submission to Minister Roche Regarding Hill of Tara and M3 Motorway?

A large delegation from Save Tara Skryne Valley group (STSV) will hand-deliver a written submission, including 10,000 petition signatures, to Minister for Heritage, Mr. Dick Roche, at the Custom House, at 11.30am Friday, 5th November. A statement, concerning imminent litigation, will also be made at that time.

The submission also contains statements written on behalf of over 10,000 international historians and archaeologists, calling for re-routing of the M3 motorway, which needlessly passes through the Hill of Tara national monument. Signatories include the Archaeological Institute of America, the European Association of Archaeologists and members of the Government-funded Discovery Programme.

Minister Roche is currently considering a recent request from the National Roads Authority (NRA) and Meath County Council to give ?directions? under the new National Monuments Act, 2004, to begin excavations of over 40 archaeological sites in the Hill of Tara region. A decision is ?imminent? according to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and the Minister is asked to consult with Minister Cullen and find an alternative.

The submission puts Minister Roche on notice that legal action is set to commence if he proceeds, and calls on him to refuse directions and to send the proposal back to planning. It contains legal, historical and archaeological expert testimony that the NRA has made a fundamental error in failing to recognise that the motorway passes through the Hill of Tara national monument. It also lists alternatives, which include: re-routing the road, putting in bypasses of major towns on the N3 and re-opening the Navan-Dublin railway.

Vincent Salafia, Public Relations Officer for STSV says:

?It is critical that the public make their views known to Minister Roche before he makes this decision. He is legally bound to consider their submissions. They can do it a number of ways:

- Join the delegation to the Custom House on Friday, 5 Nov at 11.30am - Mail a letter to Minister Roche at Custom House, Dublin 1 - Telephone Department of Environment Press Office, Tel: (01) 888 2638

- Email: minister@environ.ie - Sign online petition at http://www.taraskryne.org

According to spokesperson, Dr. Muireann Ni Bhrolchain:

?Our campaign has already marshalled huge international support, from the likes of Stuart Townsend and Charlize Theroon. If Minister Roche gives the go-ahead, this will only increase. We want to sit down with the Minister and see if there is any way out of this stalemate.?

ENDS

MORE INFORMATION:

- Please view the signatures on the petition at www.taraskryne.org - High-resolution images and full submission available by request.

CONTACT:

Vincent Salafia 087-132-3365

Dr. Muireann Ni Bhrolchain 087-924-9510