05.05.2007: Non-music related information:Ron, IU

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Many regular readers will know that I have been supporting and promoting the efforts of Tarawatch and others to prevent the destruction of the environs around the hill of Tara. The M3 motorway could easily go around tara but, anyway, all politics aside, recent discoveries at tara have made it even more important to protect the area from developers and land speculators.

Here is a request from Tarawatch for a show of support:

TaraWatch invites you to attend at press briefing, to be held on Tuesday, 8 May. 12.00 PM - 1.00 PM The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dick Roche, is currently considering how to preserve the newly discovered national monument and royal cermonial enclosure in Lismullen, near Tara.

TaraWatch, the group that brought the new site to the attention of the media on May 1, will make a submission to the Minister by hand at the Custom's House at 2.00 PM.
Immediately prior to this, we will hold a press briefing in the Capel Building at 12.00 PM, on the contents of the submission, which is divided into four main parts:

1. Scientific report on the newly discovered national monument.
TaraWatch will present a report by US-based expert in Irish royal archaeology, which will detail the significance of the new discovery, in both national and international terms. Scientific report on the site will be available. He will also give an update on the TaraWatch nomination of the Hill of Tara to the World Monuments Fund - List of 100 Most Endangered Sites List, which which he endorsed. The List will be announced in June.

2. Legal position and formal request for mediation Having retained counsel and taken legal advice, a presentation will be given on the legal position in relation to the Minister's proposed directions. Potential gounds for an injunction and judicial review of the Minister will be presented. In addition, TaraWatch will make a formal request for a process of mediation and consultation to take place between all interested parties, in order to avoid lengthy court battles and unecessary delay to the project.

3. Opinion polls
National opinion polls and petitions showing the majority of Irish people want the M3 motorway rerouted.

4. Engineers' Alternative Plan.for Effective Re-Routing of the M3 In 2005 TaraWatch retained an engineer to analyse the M3 plan and decide the most desirable coridor for the M3, in terms of economic and environmental/heritage concerns. The engineer chose a route that goes west of Tara, between Navan and Dunshaughlin. It could reduce the distance between the two towns by up to 2.5 km and still preserve the integrity of the archaeological complex associated with the Hill of Tara. It could also reduce the cost of the M3 by 50 million euros.

Political parties
Representatives of all political parties will be invited to attend and it is hoped that all-party support for the alternative route can be achieved, before the General Election. Otherwise, the is a risk the site will be demolished due to Minister Roche's directions. Each party is being sent a copy of the Alternative Plan beforehand and will be invited to support it.

For more information, please contact:
Vincent Salafia 087-132-3365 salafiam@tcd.ie

Siobhan Rice 086-319-9833 info@tarawatch.org http://www.tarawatch.org


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