Madam, - We feel gagged by the whole M3 debate. As a family living within sight of the new road we feel we cannot express opposition without being accused of being Nimbys, but if we didn't live there we would be told we didn't know what it was like to commute.
As we both commute over 20 miles in opposite directions of our home we are well aware of the problems of commuting.
While we accept the need for the road, which will pass within 450 metres of our home, we do not accept the need for a 28-acre interchange, with all the resulting industrialisation within sight of the Hill of Tara. An interchange, which, by the way, did not appear on any of the original proposals for the M3. - Yours, etc.,
LEAH MALCOLM and ANDREW ELLIS,
Garlow Cross,
Navan,
Co Meath
Madam, - Surely Dick Roche's decision on the M3 and his position in Government is some sort of perverse joke? For the few months prior to his decision he has been down-playing his power to act as Minister for Heritage. Then he makes a decision which is the worst possible for our heritage and one that is also extremely bad for the transport problems of Meath.
In fact he also basically admitted that his own decision was impractical and short-sighted by admitting that the construction would most likely be delayed by both the inevitable legal actions and the detailed archaeological excavations that are required by law, together with the extra "landscaping" and low-level lighting requirements that he has stipulated.
No matter what kind of extensive "landscaping" they put in place, the destruction and damage to the Tara landscape will be extensive. Tara is not just the hill (irrespective of how much the greedy and powerful among us in this country insist otherwise), it encompasses a much wider area and at least includes the valley where our ancestors lived, and the nearby hill of Skryne. The integrity of that landscape will forever be destroyed by a tolled four-lane motorway, and a 53-acre interchange.
Why are we doing this? To build a motorway that will essentially contribute greatly to the problems of gridlock in the Meath and West Dublin areas. This will not be a "transport solution" of any sorts.
This decision has convinced me that our Minister for Environment and Heritage is, in fact, our "Minister for Destructive Development". He and this whole Government are a joke, and are participating in a farce that some people still have the nerve to describe as "democracy". -Yours, etc.,
TADHG CROWLEY,
Clonskeagh,
Dublin 14
Madam, - How brave of Mr Eamon Byrne (letters, May 14th) to put his head above the parapet and introduce some common sense into the debate on the M3 motorway and Tara.
It has been many years since I have been down that neck of the woods and agree with him that Tara as a site of major historical importance is nothing to shout home about. He confirms my recollection of the site as nothing more that a hill of green grass with little or nothing to highlight its importance.
Does anyone know if the excavations for the motorway will yield any archaeological treasure trove ? Has any explanatory work ever been done to find out? Perhaps there is nothing there except a few rusty beer cans left behind by some drunken Fir Bolgs on a weekend skite from Dubhlinn.
By all means preserve our heritage. But please let's not get carried away.
The people in that area need a good road to cater for the huge increase in the volume of traffic over the years.
Added to that is the urgent need to reopen the Navan/ Dublin rail line and I do not see any evidence that this is being treated as a priority. - Yours, etc.,
BRENDAN M. REDMOND,
Terenure,
Dublin 6
Madam, - Could I ask the Minister for the Environment to visit my second level history students and explain to them why he insists on building the motorway so close to one of our most important heritage sites.
I ask this because I cannot answer this question from students who, on the one hand are "obliged" by the Junior Cert history syllabus to study the value of sites like Tara, and, on the other, see their public representatives blatantly ignore these sites.
One area these students study concerns potential dangers to these priceless sites. Is the current situation an attempt by Mr Roche to get himself written into our history books as a new danger?
What a disgrace and what bad example to the young people we are trying to educate so that they appreciate and protect our ancient historical sites. What hope have we as educators of helping our students avoid a cynical approach to politicians when they fly in the face of the curriculum our students must study. -Yours etc.,
MAURA FARRELL,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4