NRA avoids conflict with our past
In his letter, Mr Fenwick quotes recommendations made by the archaeological consultants in their route selection report.
However, these quotes relate to a route which was not chosen (route B1).
In relation to the route that was chosen (route B2) our archaeological consultants concluded: “Routes B2, B3 and B4, although they pass between Tara and Skreen, are less likely to disturb later prehistoric material associated with Tara, and are further from Tara itself, than the existing N3.
“If they can be designed to avoid the (recorded) monuments along their routes, these three routes could also be considered viable from an archaeological perspective.
“Other mitigation, in the form of screening the road from Tara and Skreen, would ensure the minimum impact on the surrounding archaeological landscape.”
Mr Fenwick goes on to state that it is preferable for the NRA to build roads and avoid the national heritage.
It is the NRA’s policy to avoid archaeological sites and monuments where possible.
However, with 120,000 known monuments in the State and many hundreds of thousands more as yet undiscovered, it would prove next to impossible to allow any development within the State without impacting on our archaeological heritage.
The National Roads Authority wish to clarify that the results of the archaeological testing to date have largely confirmed the research, conducted as part of the environmental impact statement (EIS), in particular the pioneering geophysical survey.
The EIS identified two recorded (RMP) archaeological sites, three definite new archaeological sites and 23 areas of archaeological potential on this section of the route.
The EIS also stated that, as on all major infrastructure developments, there was a potential of other new archaeological sites being uncovered.
In order to address this a comprehensive archaeological testing strategy, with a proven track record, was initiated.
To date 28 archaeological sites have been identified ranging from prehistoric burial sites to medieval settlement, to early modern house sites.
Post-excavation research and reporting is ongoing and the full results are expected by mid-July and will be published on the NRA website as soon as they become available.
The National Roads Authority is confident that the archaeological strategy now employed on major road schemes such as the M3 ensures that ample time and resources are employed fully to excavate all archaeological sites in advance of construction.
Dáire O’Rourke,
Senior Archaeologist,
National Roads Authority,
St Martin’s House,
Waterloo Road,
Dublin 4.
