A Chara, - My heart sank on hearing the decision of Minister for the Environment Dick Roche to proceed with the M3 motorway. Yet again the good of the parish prevails over the good of the nation.
Yet again a marvel of our heritage is to be mutilated for short-term needs. In the face of growing opposition and a vast swathe of expert opinion, Fianna Fáil chooses to placate the local interest.
This has to be the most vulgar and short-sighted decision ever taken by an Irish minister in matters relating to heritage. Given the level of world-wide condemnation of, the availability of alternatives to, and the potential pitfalls of the current plan, one might have expected the Minister to rethink.
But no. Stubborn and wrong-headed, we plough into another great shame. I would say to Mr Roche, it's still not too late.
The first sod is yet to be turned. Spare your legacy the opprobrium of future generations. Deliver Tara from the selfish and the narrow-minded and bestow her intact on those who are yet to be born. - Is mise,
CIARÁN Mac AONGHUSA, Nice, An Fhrainc.
Madam, - The obvious result of Dick Roche's decision will be permanent damage to the Hill of Tara and its hinterland. In spite of being informed of this outcome by archaeologists and historians from all over the world, including the director of the National Museum, Dr Pat Wallace, he chose to ignore them.
I dare say he has now made his place in history!
Commuters will be sitting in an even longer traffic jam than at present trying to get through the Blanchardstown/M50 junction.
A motorway bypassing the towns of Kells, Navan and Dunshaughlin will simply bring more traffic more quickly into this junction, and this after paying two tolls on their way from Kells.
This motorway is being built to satisfy the commercial interests of contractors and developers who will reap the benefits of it for decades to come.
If the planners had the interest of commuters in mind they would have prioritised the reinstatement of the railway line between Navan and Dublin instead.
I wonder how long it will be before we have the "Tara Shopping Centre" beside the 26-acre junction at Blundelstown located only 1 kilometre from the Hill of Tara. - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN MAGEE, Bellinter, Navan.
Madam, - It may be recycling an old joke, but perhaps some future tourist will look up at the Hill of Tara from the M3 and say "Wasn't it really smart of those Ancient Irish to build their Temple so close to the highway!" - Yours, etc,
TOBY JOYCE, Navan.
Madam, - What a sad, sad day for Ireland when we put our vision and our values for a future Ireland on a four-lane tolled motorway, complete with noise and light pollution, that will have catastrophic consequences for the Tara landscape.
This landscape has remained relatively unscathed for over 5000 years and our Minister for Heritage has signed the order to destroy that actual heritage. Shame on you, Minister, and shame on us for allowing such a day to happen. I am in despair. - Yours, etc,
MARY QUINLAN, North Strand, Dublin 3.
Madam, - Mr Roche yesterday announced that the controversial interchange one kilometre north of the Hill of Tara would be subject to "extensive landscaping".
He also added that in order to protect the landscape around Tara he would ensure that the new county development plan "protected the rural character and archaeological heritage of the area".
This must be new record for talking out of both sides of one's mouth.
He surely is man of many talents. - Yours, etc,
DECLAN KENNY, Mill Lane, Leixlip, Co Kildare.
Madam, - When the world learned of the Wood Quay destruction in the 1970s, the international outcry was so great that it was thought that such heritage vandalism would never be allowed to happen again in Ireland. It just has in 2005, in Tara. - Yours, etc,
RAY MONAHAN, Castlegregory, Co Kerry.