Ciarán Cuffe TD   GREEN PARTY  Dún Laoghaire

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The Green Party’s By-election candidate for Meath, Fergal O'Byrne, has called on the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche and the Director of the National Museum, Pat Wallace to reveal the details of a meeting held yesterday (Tuesday 1^st March) to discuss the M3 Motorway

Ciarán Cuffe TD stated: "If the Museum feels that the road should be moved then changes should be made. Last year’s amendments to the National Monuments Acts should not allow the Minister to have consultation and then rubber-stamp the existing route."

The meeting was held in advance of the Minister making a decision on whether the M3 Motorway proposal should proceed through the historic archaeological landscape of the Tara-Skryne Valley

"What have they got to hide?" asked Fergal O'Byrne today. "It’s in the public interest that the Museum and the Minister tell us what their views are.

"Under the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004 Minister Roche must consult in writing with the Director of the National Museum before deciding on whether or not to grant consent for the road.

"We are only now realising the significance of the finds that have been made along the path of the road. These vary from ring forts to ancient settlement sites. The Green Party’s view is that the road should be re-routed around the Tara-Skryne Valley."

"The present route contravenes the Government’s own "Framework and Principles for the Protection of Archaeological Heritage which states: ‘there should always be a presumption in favour of avoiding developmental impacts on the archaeological heritage.’ 

"If they can move the route of a road at Woodstown in Waterford they can do the same in Co. Meath. The significant archaeological finds at both locations require changes in the route. We all want improvements in the road infrastructure, but not at the expense of our heritage

Ciarán Cuffe TD stated: "If the Museum feels that the road should be moved then changes should be made. Last year’s amendments to the National Monuments Acts should not allow the Minister to have consultation and then rubber-stamp the existing route."

Ciarán Cuffe is a TD for the Dún Laoghaire Dáil Constituency. Ciarán can be contacted at Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 or 96 Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire Tel. 284 6060 or 618 3082, Fax 618 4341, Email  Ciaran CiaranCuffe.com