The Minister for Transport, Mr Séamus Brennan has visited the controversial site of a proposed section of the M50 South Eastern Motorway construction project.
The new section of road has been opposed by heritage groups and archaeologists as it threatens the recently uncovered archaeological remains of Carrickmines Caste.
Plans for a motorway interchange at the historically sensitive site, which has been likened in importance to Wood Quay, have been opposed by bodies including An Taisce, Friends of Medieval Dublin, Fénechas, and the Brehon Law Project.
In July the Minister requested the National Roads Authority (NRA) and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Co to review the route details in light of important archeological features discovered at the site. They were also requested to take into consideration a number of preservation recommendations made by An Taisce.
The NRA and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have now submitted proposals which would see much of the existing castle ruins preserved on roundabouts and beside the proposed Carrickmines interchange, possibly as part of an archaeological park.
Archaeologists have found a well-preserved castle wall enclosing 1.5 acres of buildings, workshops, houses, kilns, wells and numerous ditches. Some 90,000 artefacts have been unearthed including 20,000 pieces of medieval pottery have been recovered, as well as coins, cannon balls, weapons, skeletons and textiles.
Mr Brennan is now studying the contents of the NRA/Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown review and An Taisce's response to it. A decision on the proposed route is expected next week.