Roads authority proposes raising motorway to save archeological discoveries

THE National Roads Authority (NRA) has proposed raising a section of the South Eastern Motorway to save the archeological discoveries at Carrickmines Castle.

The authority also proposes dismantling part of the fortification where the motorway cannot be raised and reassembling the structure in an adjacent green area where it is suggested it could form part of an archeological heritage park.

And it says it may be able to preserve an 18th century farmhouse and sections of a medieval wall, which were due for demolition.

The measures, which would add an estimated half a million euro to the 300 million cost of the motorway, have been presented to the Department of Transport.

Minster for Transport, Seamus Brennan, who is on holidays, is expected to make a decision to approve the proposals and additional expenditure when he returns to work next week.

Archeologists have been working against the clock for two years at the site in south Co Dublin to try to record details of the medieval fortress and surrounding settlement before contractors build the motorway, the last section of the M50, on top of it.

Under existing plans just one still standing wall of the castle was to have been preserved in a traffic island in the centre of a roundabout and the rest of the unmovable remains were to be bulldozed and built on.

A review was carried out following outcry from conservationists and a threat of legal action by An Taisce.

A joint statement by the NRA and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council yesterday said the new proposals presented a win-win position.

"An Taisce wanted us to move the motorway completely but we would have been moving into unexcavated land which could have been worse. We could have been going from the frying pan into the fire," said NRA head of corporate affairs, Michael Egan.

"This way allows us preserve the archeology and still have the road built and open to the public on schedule."

An Taisce gave a cautious welcome to the proposals.

Heritage officer Ian Lumley said they would have to see the full plans and engineering details before knowing if the safeguards were sufficient or if there would be adequate public access.