Tara campaigners reiterate call for re-routing of motorway

Heritage protection campaigners have reiterated their call for a re-routing of the proposed M3 motorway away from the Hill of Tara.

The call follows a meeting yesterday between Meath County Council and the National Roads Authority (NRA) when it emerged that 38 archaeological sites are located on the route of the planned road.

NRA experts told the councillors it would cost up to €30m to fully excavate these sites.

Vincent Salafia, a spokesman for a group lobbying to protect the archaeologically important Tara-Skryne Valley, said opposition to the motorway was growing among local councillors in light of the revelations.

"Meath county councillors are very upset because, number one, they feel that they were never given an option as to whether or not this motorway would be tolled and now they are finding out that there are going to be two tolls put onto the motorway," he said.

"Also, they are very upset because a lot of them feel they would not have approved this motorway if they knew that they were going to be destroying 38 archaeological sites that are associated with the Hill of Tara."