Tara group lodge complaint with EC

The Tara Foundation has lodged complaints with the European Commission against the State over the M3 Motorway in Co Meath and…

The Tara Foundation has lodged complaints with the European Commission against the State over the M3 Motorway in Co Meath and the onshore gas refinery at Ballinaboy, Co Mayo.

In the first complaint, Coillte was cited as being in contempt of a ruling by the European Court of Justice with respect to its sale of land at Ballinaboy to Shell, and its transfer of land at Rath Lugh, Co Meath to the National Roads Authority, via Compulsory Purchase Order.

Coillte was found by the European Court of Justice in 2003 to be a State body and, according to the Tara Foundation's complaint, is a caretaker of the State's forests. Therefore, Coillte's transfer of public land to Shell and the National Roads Authority was illegal, teh foundation argues.

In the second complaint, Meath County Council and the National Roads Authority were cited as being in breach of European Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations, with respect to the Environmental Impact Statements prepared for the M3 Motorway.

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The complaint says no alternative schemes were considered for the M3, such as reopening the Navan-Dublin rail line in conjunction with upgrading the N3 or reopening the line in conjunction with a non-motorway grade relief road.

Under EIA regulations, alternative schemes must be evaluated.