Roestown:- Parliamentary Question

national | anti-capitalism | news report Tuesday March 27, 2007 20:17 by C Murray

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Chun an Aire Comhshaoil, Oidreachta agus Rialtais Aitiuil:

(to the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government:-

To ask the minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the destruction and dismantling in recent weeks of sites of major archaeological significance in The Roestown area of County Meath, ahead of a full assessment being carried out as to whether they meet the criteria to be designated as national monuments as laid out in the National Monuments Act.

Reply:-

" Archaeological works at Roestown, Co Meath have been carried out in accordance with the
directions I issued on 11th May 2005 , under section 14a of the NMA (2004-as amended)

No new national monuments were discovered at Roestown in the course of these
archaeological works.An inspector from my dept inspected the site prior to the removal
of a souterrain.The archaeological works were being carried out to the required
standard. There have been a number of cases with such sites, which are relatively
common in Ireland, as in this incidence, and are preserved by record.

Excavations at Roestown, including making of 3d laser images are substantially complete
when final reports have been submittd to and considered by my department, I will ensure
they are made publically available in the interests of extending the range and depth of
our archaeological knowledge.'
(ends)

Two things:-

1. In 2003 (Feburary) the Statutory body charged with the implementation of the NMA
was abolished by Martin Cullen TD. There are no legislative protections
for the archaeological complex in Tara. Duchas was divided into the D.O.E
and the Commissioners for public works in Ireland.I used work for Duchas
and info is currently inaccessible due to a two year back-log in filing.

2. The State have abdicated duty in protection of heritage to the
PPP and the corporate lobby have influenced the drafting of the SIB,
there was no cross-examination of the government chief archaeologist during the
Tara case. This means that the private company proceeds in an unregulated
manner to decide what is worth protecting. The Planning and construction
guidelines published by the NRA clearly and legally state that a road route
will not be changed after EIS- this subverts the already tenous legislation and
plays into the SIB fast-track planning.

I retain hard copy of those guidelines, if anyone wants them.

Minister Roche stated to me that there is no separate legislation envisaged
for the protection of Irish Heritage. This destruction will continue and will
support the people who are buying the re-zoned lands in Tara. This is part
of the FF legacy to Ireland (along with the other corruptions)

Question 605:- Tabled by Aengus O Snodaigh.
** Baronstown 1 and Collierstown are National Monuments.