‘TaraWatch Shelves Forming a Protest Party and Will Continue Talks With Mainstream Parties’

national | history and heritage | press release Saturday July 08, 2006 13:51 by Siobhan Rice, PRO - TaraWatch pro at tarawatch dot org

Latest press relase from TaraWatch - Sat, 08 July 2006

TaraWatch, the group campaigning to save the tara archaeological complex, has made a decision shelve pland to join other protesting groups in setting up a political to run in the 2007 general election.

The idea of forming a new party was mooted at a TaraWatch protest outside Leinster House on Thursday by Vincent Salafia, who stated that TaraWatch was considering doing so, if the mainstream parties did not make tara an election issue. However, he also stated that it was still preferable that the mainstream parties would take this issue clearly on board from the upcoming election.

The strong showing of support from the Green Party, Sinn Féin and the Labour Party, as well as Independent Oireachtas members, partly as a result of the protest, has negated the need for such a move.

Ciarán Cuffe TD of the Green Party said at the protest:

"Carving a motorway through the tara landscape would be an act of sacrilege. The Green Party believes that safety improvements on the existing road would be a better option".

Shortly after the protest, Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe issued a strongly word press release in which he stated:

"The tara/Skryne valley is part of our heritage, part of our history and part of what we are and plans for its destruction are nothing less than Government sponsored vandalism.

"Sinn Féin will continue to oppose the routing of the M3 through the tara/Skryne valley and will take that opposition down every avenue remaining open to us."

Yesterday evening TaraWatch received news the Labour Party MEP Proinsias de Rossa will meet the EU Petitions Committee on Monday 10th of July, and that tara and the M3 motorway is on the agenda.

Also present at the protest were Tony Gregory TD and Senator David Norris, who have offered their full support.

TaraWatch Political Affairs Officer, Siobhan Rice said:

“We are delighted to see this clear showing of support and look forward to engaging the in meaningful, constructive discussions Opposition parties, including Fine Gael, over the summer. We hope to find a solution that can best to protect our heritage and deliver badly needed relief for the commuters of Meath.”

“Mr Salafia has indicated that he may be willing to withdraw his Supreme Court Appeal if the matter is handed over to consultants for an independent third party assessment, which could be performed in a few short months.

“While the option still remains open to form a party, we are optimistic that we can work with existing parties to find a solution.

ENDS

Contact:

Siobhan Rice – Political Affairs Officer 086-319-9833

Vincent Salafia – Legal Affairs Officer 087-132-3365