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From the Ireland European Politics Network (http://www.politics.ie/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3767) 01/03/2004:
Bruton expresses concern over the delay of Kells motorway
More news from TransportFormer Taoiseach and local Meath Deputy, John Bruton TD, has today (Monday) expressed serious concerns about the effect in delaying the Clonee to Kells motorway and of the choice of route for this motorway through the valley between the Hill of Skryne and the Hill of Tara. "Solving the traffic problem here is indeed urgent, but this choice of route may actually delay completion of the motorway.
"We have seen the delays in the M50 caused by the controversy surrounding a comparatively common and insignificant archaeological structure - the remains of Carrickmines Castle. Recent archaeological studies suggest that Tara - which is globally unique - is not just the monuments on the Hill itself, but is the centre of a sacred space of interlinked monuments stretching over a comparatively large area. The proposed motorway route will bisect this area and, short of the motorway actually going over the Hill of Tara itself, it is difficult to conceive of a route more likely to run into delays generated by archaeological excavations than this one.
"For all of these reasons, I have asked the National Roads Authority (NRA), in the interests of financial prudence and having the motorway completed quickly, to examine whether or not they have chosen the right route. A copy of my letter to the National Roads Authority is herewith. I have said to the National Roads Authority that the NRA should sit down, as a Roads Authority and ask themselves in all seriousness whether or not it might not be wiser, even at this late stage, after all the time and effort they have invested in this route, to pick one of the other routes. I realise that this is not an easy thing to contemplate, but in the long run it could prove to be a much less expensive option than going ahead with the proposed route.
"As I said at the outset, my concern, as a local public representative, is that a new road be provided at the earliest possible time. My worry is that going ahead with this route may not prove to be the quickest way of getting the road. But in fact may be the slowest and most expensive because of all of the delays that will be necessitated by the archaeology and the archaeological discoveries that emerge."
Something is not right. This message is just to keep things from messing up down the road