MEATH COUNTY Council is examining 300 submissions received on a proposed landscape conservation plan for Tara and Skryne, which includes the Hill of Tara.
They have been made by groups, associations, individuals and some local politicians.
The county councillors will make a decision next month on whether the draft plan is adopted.
If they agree to designate the landscape for conservation, it would protect an area already severely damaged by the M3, from further destruction, according to the Meath Archaeological and Heritage Society.
The society made a submission in favour of the plan and criticised “scaremongering and lies” about the plan’s impact.
The landscape plan is the first of its kind in Ireland. It was first proposed by the then minister for the environment, Dick Roche, in 2005. It subsequently became an objective in the Meath county development plan.
However, some councillors have spoken against it, arguing that it will curtail the building of one-off rural houses in a 5km area surrounding the Tara/Skryne valley. Cllr Nick Killian (FF) has criticised the consultation process and said: “This is Gormley’s sop to the M3 protesters.
“The only people taking an interest are State agencies and protesters against the M3,” Cllr Killian said.
Opponents also claim that neither satellite dishes nor broadband antennae would be allowed on houses if it is approved.
The society says the opponents’ claims are groundless and based on misinformation.
“It would be scandalous if this were to fail and to do so based solely on misinformation and scaremongering,” the society believes.
Tara Celebrations, a group which describes itself as practising earth-based spiritual meditations, in its submission asked that “the Sacred Ground/Tara-Skryne landscape is protected more comprehensively under law.
“We would suggest a ban on development or construction at any location along the M3 motorway, not just the interchanges,” the group said.