The National Roads Authority (NRA) has rejected accusations it breached an agreement with Tara protesters to cease work temporarily on the planned M3 site at Rath Lugh in Co Meath and has insisted it will continue with construction work.
Tara protester Lisa 'Squeak' Feeney, who emerged after spending 60-hours in a tunnel at the construction site last weekend, claimed she was given a "signed and dated" agreement by the NRA's Kevin O'Rourke that all work would cease for one month at Rath Lugh.
However, construction workers resumed work on the site this week despite the 10-point agreement which Ms Feeney said promised a work stoppage until April 17 th.
Tara campaigners have described the move as "extremely provocative". They said the fact that construction workers were accompanied by security personnel and between 50-100 gardaí after the departure of Minister for the Environment John Gormley from a site visit this morning was "aggressive" and "an affront to democracy".
NRA spokesman, Sean O'Neill told ireland.comconstruction workers had returned to the site to dig a "box cut" into the land to show exactly where the planned road will lie, providing physical evidence to protesters that the planned route will not impinge on the monument at Rath Lugh.
A "significant portion" of the box-cut will be complete in the next 24 hours and work on the M3 will then go ahead, he said.
Mr O'Neill said the 10-point agreement reached with Ms Feeney included good-behaviour conditions on protesters to carry out a "civil" protest.
He claimed campaigners had breached the terms of the agreement by throwing stones at construction workers and spitting on them and insisted the NRA had "absolutely not reneged on an agreement" with protesters.
Mr O'Neill said the NRA had agreed with Ms Feeney to "hold off doing works if she could reassure us that people would stop interfering".
However, he said a violent protest had ensued last Tuesday as construction workers attempted to erect fencing outside the perimeter of the Rath Lugh site and An Garda had told the NRA to "alleviate the situation".
Mr O'Neill said the necessary action had been taken and said no other negotiations would now be undertaken with protesters.
"You can't negotiate with people who can't be reasonable," he said. "We have to ensure the safety of workers and protesters on the site," he added.
Labour Party environment and heritage spokeswoman Joanna Tuffy criticised the Minister for the Environment for failing to speak to protesters during his visit to the Rath Lugh site this morning and said it was "surprising and disappointing".
She said the number of gardaí and security personnel at the road works site was "disproportionate" to the numbers of protesters.
"A far more effective focus of State efforts could be put into a process of liaison and communication with all stakeholders that could help allay their concerns about the future of Rath Lugh," she added.