Outrage as road plan clashes with castle

Environmentalists have reacted furiously to news that 40% of the site of a medieval castle in Dublin is to be lost, under proposals to build a new section of motorway.

Transport Minister Seamus Brennan said his plans would allow the final leg of the M50 motorway, which circles the city, to proceed on schedule, while preserving “extensive areas” of the Carrickmines Castle site.

He pointed out that 200 archaeologists had spent two years working on the site at a cost of €6m to preserve as many items as possible.

However, campaigners pointed to the fact that the work remained unfinished when the dig ended in August to facilitate the building of the new road.

An Taisce has described the proposals as “a huge disappointment”.

Planning officer John O’Sullivan dismissed Mr Brennan’s assertion that about 60% of the site would be saved and said about 90% would be lost.

He said the body was now considering its options, insisting this was not the end of the matter.

Tony Lowes, the director of Friends of the Irish Environment, said his reaction was one of “outrage”.

Mr Lowes said the Government or planners had known about the extent of the grounds of the castle since a report in 1983, but had not altered the route of the motorway to avoid it.

The Green Party said it was “a dark day for Irish archaeology”.

Ciaran Cuffe, the party’s environment spokesman said several groups were considering taking out an injunction against the NRA (National Roads Authority) developing the site and appealing to the European Court.

Professor Sean Duffy of Dublin’s Trinity College said he was dismayed at the Minister’s position, which he described as inappropriate.

He also predicted that the fight to save the site was not over and would end up in the European courts.

However, Mr Brennan said that although the decision left him feeling uncomfortable, the motorway needed to be completed on time.

“It is a difficult decision because this is an important site,” he said.

However, he added: “There’s no going back now. This is an important section of, not just the M50, but it’s a Euro-route, it’s the main artery road around the capital city.

“Not to proceed with the motorway now would be horrendous and would lead to massive congestion and I’m not prepared to accept that.

“I think this is a sensible compromise, it saves over 60% of the site, it saves the main castle itself and the changes that I’ve required the NRA to make I think are sensible and will allow for this important heritage site to be preserved to its maximum extent while building the road.”

He added that the castle’s defensive wall would be moved and preserved for public access.