Madam, - Daire O'Rourke's contention (Opinion, September 3rd) that the State's neglect of archaeology somehow vindicates the existence and practices of private archaeological companies is disingenuous.
That there are profits to be made in the sector is irrelevant, since these accrue to the private road contractors which are awarded contracts, and the private-sector archaeologists whose main purpose is to facilitate construction projects.
He states that "quality of life is a subjective concept. For some, it is the completion of the South Eastern Motorway, and for others the preservation of the site at Carrickmines" ( having already represented the Carrickmines site as of small historical importance).
Even if the presence of intact structures alone determined the importance of an archaeological site - which it does not - Carrickmines is by no means the most important site threatened by the NRA. The plan for the M3 involves not only building through a two-kilometre stretch of the Boyne Valley, an area which contains a vast number of archaeological sites whose significance is only beginning to be understood, but directly through Tara itself.
It is heartening to be told that the NRA carries out test trenching on a bigger scale than in "Britain or Europe \". Trenching has been carried out along the entire route of the proposed M3, even on already confirmed archaeological sites and even when there are more sophisticated and less damaging tests available.
It is of little use to "excavate sites and publish the findings" when the sites are promptly destroyed by contractors. But the NRA has been remarkably reluctant to publish its own archaeological findings with respect to the Boyne Valley. Could this have to do with motives other than the love of discovery and the wish to gain insight into Ireland's past? - Yours, etc.,
ANDREW McGRATH, Secretary, The Tara Foundation, Glenmore Road, Dublin 7.