PRESS RELEASE

TARAWATCH.org

01 October 2007

'Minister Gormley Considering Placing Preservation Order on M3 Site'

John Gormley, Minister for the Environment, is currently considering
placing a Temporary Preservation Order on Rath Lugh, a national
monument being impacted by the M3 motorway, according to an email sent
by his office last week to a campaigner. (see below)

This indiactes a major shift in policy by the Minister, who has claimed
that no sites are being improperly interfered with, and that he has not
power to act.

Mr Farrelly recently wrote to the Minister to complain that the
national monument is being directly impacted, and that the land-take
for the M3 had been expanded at the site.

According to the National Roads Authority, Rath Lugh is not being
impacted. Their web site FAQ number 6 states:

6. Why locate the M3 where it will separate the site of Rath Lugh from
Tara? http://www.m3motorw ay.ie/FAQ/ #six

In the Discovery Programme publication 'Tara, an Archaeological
Survey', Newman reinterpreted Rath Lugh, an RMP site which lies 2.5km
to the north-east of Tara, as a defensive inland cliff-edge fort,
rather than a ringfort. Newman (1997, 200-206) tentatively proposed
that despite problems of classification and dating it was tempting to
consider is as part of a defensive zone around Tara. Rath Lugh is today
separated from Tara by the existing N3 and lies under dense vegetation
and tree cover. It was not possible to route the M3 to the east of the
site, instead it skirts the base of the elevated promontory on which
Rath Lugh is located, approximately 20m below, and will not interfere
with the site itself or the view of this site from Tara.

Under Section 4 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1954, the
Minister can place a Temporary Preseervation Order, for up to six
months:
http://www.irishsta tutebook. ie/1954/en/ act/pub/0037/ sec0004.html

4.—(1) Where it appears to the Commissioners that a monument which in
their opinion is a national monument is in immediate danger of injury
or destruction the Commissioners may by order (in this Act referred to
as a temporary preservation order) undertake the preservation of such
monument.

Vincent Salafia of TaraWatch said:

"This is a very significant statement from the Minister, who is telling
members of the public that he is actively considering taking decisive
legal action on the M3.

"We know the EU Environment Commission are currently investigating Rath
Lugh, and that the National Museum have expressed concerns about the
works there.

"Rath Lugh is being directly impacted, as we have told the Minister all
along. We are delighted he now appears to be finally listening.