Steer well clear of Tara, say MEPs

THE Tara landscape is one of Ireland’s and Europe’s most precious historical archaeological sites, but it is now in the process of being destroyed to facilitate the construction of a motorway.

Thu, 10 Jan, 2008 - 00:00

Letters

The European Commission has warned the Irish Government that its plans to build the M3 four-lane motorway through the archaeologically rich Tara-Skryne valley are illegal within European law. The commission is taking proceedings against the Government.

The Tara landscape has been placed on the World Monuments Fund of most endangered sites.

We are also aware of a joint letter signed internationally by more than 300 academics stating that the royal estate of Tara is not just a central part of Irish heritage, but is of significant importance on a world heritage scale.

We, the undersigned members of the European Parliament, are alarmed at the Irish Government’s destruction in July 2007 of the large early medieval settlement site at Baronstown in the Tara-Skryne valley. Most shockingly, this important archaeological site was demolished by motorway construction workers in the middle of the night.

We also wish to express our deep concern about the future of the Celtic temple at Lismullen — a site with national monument status which is also planned to be demolished by the Irish Government.

Urgent action is needed to urge the Irish Government to prevent the destruction of more of our common European heritage.

As was the case at Baronstown, and as is planned for Lismullen, thousands of years of our shared European culture can be wiped out in a few hours, and once gone, can never be replaced.

Given that the path of the planned M3 motorway is so rich in important archaeological monuments, we strongly urge the Irish Government to alter the current motorway route and to choose from the other available routes and viable options for the M3 motorway instead, thereby balancing progress with conservation.

It is of the utmost importance that steps be taken to prevent the destruction of any further ancient monuments which are part of our shared European heritage. We believe the Tara landscape should be preserved fully intact as the European cultural and heritage treasure that it so clearly is.

Signed by MEPs:

Kathy Sinnott, Mary Lou McDonald, Marian Harkin, Bairbre de Brún

Ireland

Nirj Deva, Roger Helmer, Sarah Ludford, Edward McMillan Scott, Den Dover, Timothy Kirkhope, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne

Britain

Bas Belder, Johannes Blokland

Netherlands

Carlos José, Iturgaiz Angulo

Spain

Witold Tomczak

Poland

Marios Matsakis