The M50 motorway around Dublin "will be completed one way or another," Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council's director of transportation has promised.
Mr Éamon O'Hare admitted it would be "an appalling situation" if the proposed C-ring motorway was not completed in full because of the disputes and litigation over the archaeological remains of Carrickmines Castle.
The row over the castle has already cost the council "well in excess of €20 million," he revealed.
It is understood that further litigation by conservationists and others is extremely likely.
The council's decision to omit the controversial Carrickmines interchange from current building plans drew a mixed reaction yesterday.
Progressive Democrat TD, Ms Fiona O'Malley, called for clarification.
She suggested that the decision would only move traffic congestion from Dundrum to Leopardstown.
Furthermore she said it could leave two separate sections of the motorway closed off to each other.
However, the Green Party welcomed the decision to suspend work on the Carrickmines section of the motorway.
It called on the council and the National Roads Authority to "bend the road" and avoid the remains of the castle.
"The castle can't move but the road can," said Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent.
"We want the council to shift the motorway about fifty metres to the south in order to protect the remains of the castle. The sooner this happens, the sooner the road can be built."
An Taisce said the move raised more questions than it answered.
The organisation called for a "refocusing" of efforts to complete the M50 motorway while at the same time avoiding the castle site.
Labour MEP, Mr Prionsias de Rossa said the council had at last adopted "a common sense approach" to this issue.
"It is regrettable it has taken the council until now to take up this approach. Had they done so 12 months ago, many of the current delays could have been avoided.
Council engineers say they will complete the rest of the M50 by August 2005 and they hope the 1.5 kilometre stretch at Carrickmines can also be completed by this date.
However, this is dependent on the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, and the Dáil, giving the necessary permission to proceed.
A spokesman for Mr Cullen said the Minister would rule on whether Carrickmines Castle is a national monument within the next few weeks.
However, any decision to interfere with the site is certain to be challenged in the courts, thereby leading to more delays.
Equally, as Mr O'Hare pointed out yesterday, if the council decides to alter the route to avoid the castle, this will involve further environmental and archaeological assessment.
He said it could also possibly involve further litigation.
