Changes

      
                                                                  see  TEXT

Planning and Finance

is it possible to change the route or to convert the section through the Gabhra Valley to a 2+1 system on the present route of the N3  ...?

1. Motors Interview; August 2007 Peter Barry Chief Executive NRA admitted still possible to change the route but potentially over £200 million tax payers money could be lost ( a briefing note for Noel Dempsey released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act, reveals the extent of the potential costs: ). No evidence provided as to how this sum calculated.---

2. NRA Press release 5th November 2007.
16k of N2 converted to 2+1.
The 2+1 road type offers a strong safety benefit along with reducing driver frustration by allowing for safe overtaking opportunities",
said Fred Barry, CEO National Roads Authority
.

3. If the 8k of the N3 between Dunshaughlin ring road to Navan ring road was converted to 2+1 type road thus rendering the M3 motorway through the Tara valley between those points unnecessary what part of
the £200 million would be saved ?

4. Irish independent
By Michael Brennan Political Correspondent Monday November 26 2007
Both Fine Gael and Labour have raised concerns about the potential cost of PPPs, such as the M3 motorway, on future generations of Irish taxpayers. If the M3 fails to raise the expected tolls over the 45 year period has this been factored into the £200 million cost to the taxpayer? 

5. Meath Chronicle 24 November 2007
The news that the National Roads Authority (NRA) is undertaking a study on building a dual carriageway from Ashbourne to Slane and on to Ardee. . The NRA were aware the existing N2 from Ashbourne to Slane was under considerable pressure and the volume of traffic using it was expanding every year
The N2 runs less than 5 miles parallel to where the M3 will pass through Tara.

6. The Meath Chronicle, 8th. December 2007.
The moves to restore the rail link between Navan and Dublin were given a major boost this week  when Iarnrod Eireann announced that the original route built in the early 1860s is emerging as the preferred route. The project is due for completion in 2015 although there is already speculation that a decision to choose the original route could bring it to fruition sooner
 

7. The conversion of the N2 into a dual carriageway , the reinstatement of the Navan Dublin railway and continuing use of the N3 will draw commuters away from the M3 toll road. Increasing fuel and road tax make the M3 more likely to fail as a toll road thus placing the costs on future generations of taxpayers as predicted by Fine Gael and Labour. Has this been taken into account when calculating the potential £200 million cost to re route ?

8. Independent 27 December - Department of Transport Report By Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
Thursday December 27 2007
The minister is going to launch a new public consultation process on the issue of sustainable travel and transport early in the coming weeks. …by June of next year (2008) a clear, detailed sustainable action plan will be in place.

 http://www.independent.ie/national-news/city-traffic-to-crawl-at-8kmh

9. This initiative will have no credibility if the Department of Transport fail to make the reinstatement of the Navan to Dublin rail link a top priority .It took three years to build in the first place - with picks and shovels as the Meath On Track group points out - Why should it now take seven ?

10. Al Gore call on Ireland. RTE News ;
Former US Vice President Al Gore has addressed a conference on the environment and suggested that Ireland could lead on the issue of climate change.

Archaeological discoveries

10. The archaeological discoveries ( 40+) in the Tara Skryne valley within this narrow 80 m wide road- take prove beyond a shadow of doubt the extent of this valley in terms of cultural heritage. One can only imagine what other wonders are as yet undiscovered in this valley. The value of the Tara Skryne valley in terms of Irish, European and worldwide heritage has been recognised by the following;

11. EU to take action over handling of Tara route for M3
The Irish Times Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The Commission has begun legal action against the State over what they say is its failure to fully transpose Environmental Impact Assessmentdirective into Irish law.
As an example they have cited the decision not to have a second EIA when the national monument at Lismullen was found on the route of the M3

12. On the Significance of Lismullin
by Dr. Ronald Hicks, Department of Anthropology, Ball State
University, Indiana August 2007
The monument discovered earlier this year at Lismullin is, quite simply, unique. For that reason, if for no other, it should be preserved.
In order to assess the significance of the Lismullin site, it is necessary to consider it from several points of view. The first of these is in terms of its relationship to the Hill of Tara. The monument's discovery underscores what archaeologists and historians have been saying for several years and therefore should have come as no surprise. The Tara ceremonial/ritual complex is not confined to the Hill of Tara but extends to several square kilometres of the surrounding landscape.

Ronald Hicks - Archaeological Method & Theory and the M3    

13. World Monument Fund Endangered Sites 2008 .
One of them, Tara Hill, which is considered the ceremonial and mythicalcapital of Ireland and is threatened by a motorway for Dublin commuters, was described as "the biggest advocacy challenge" on the World Monuments Fund's watch list for 2008.

14. Letter of the XIII Celtic Congress to TD Gormley
At its closing session on Friday 27 July, the assembled delegates to the
XIII International Celtic Congress, Rheinische
Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, instructed us to send you this letter, to protest most vigorously against the destruction of the environs of Tara and of other historic and prehistoric sites in
Ireland, such as Lismullin.

15. The Massachusetts Archaeological Society
"The proposed construction of a major motorway through the Tara
Archaeological Complex has been brought to our attention by our members. Our
Board of Trustees
voted unanimously, at its meeting of September 8th, 2007, to oppose this project"

16. The Archaeological Institute of America
has condemned theproject, and their upcoming issue of Archaeology Magazine will featurethe Lismullin national monument has being one of the Top Ten MostExciting archaeological discoveries in 2007.
http://www.archaeology.org/0801/topten/

17. Epoch Times Dec 12th More Historic Findings Discovered In Path Of M3
A rock with megalithic art engravings similar to those found in Newgrange has been discovered during excavations for the M3 motorway in Meath
A stone thought to be five thousand years old and engraved with megalithic art similar to the stones at Newgrange has been discovered in an early historic souterrain complex that is being currently excavated to make way for the M3.
http://www.savetara.com/articles/2007/121207_historic.html

Future

18.There is a `grassroots' call for a Tara World Heritage Park.
http://www.meathmasterplan.com/summary.html


19. Green light for the " Valley of The Kings "
Louth and Meath C.C.'s joined forces after Fáilte Ireland announced funding of E137 million was available under the NDP from 2008-2013 to stimulate investment in tourism development projects. The two councils created a joint concept, which utilises both counties' strongest assets, their heritage , and came up with the 'Boyne Valley of the Kings'.
Failte Ireland began accepting submissions last June and over 700 applications were received. But only a few were chosen and 'Boyne Valley of the Kings' was amongst the top projects chosen to receive this grant........
The sites included in this project are Newgrange, the Hill of Tara and Mellifont...
www.droghedaleader.net 
but  how will this succeed with a motorway running through the middle  ?