Madam, - The decision by the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government to issue a preservation order in respect of the 1,200-year-old Woodstown Viking site is very welcome.
As your editorial of February 22nd says, "this is truly a site of international significance" and Mr Roche's decision shows he has taken his heritage remit seriously, giving proper consideration to expert archaeological and historical opinion.
Many people throughout Ireland and abroad are hoping he will apply the same sound reasoning and vision to the 5,000 year-old Tara landscape currently under threat from the proposed M3, and that he will not be swayed by commercial or political interests currently whipping up a frenzy, sowing misinformation and exploiting commuters' frustrations in the run-up to the by-election on March 11th. Tara is not a local issue and should not be treated as such.
In the case of the Tara landscape, the arguments for preservation are compelling. Firstly, the significance of the landscape is a recognised fact, contrary to what the NRA and business interests are saying. The national and international significance of the landscape was stressed in every one of the reports commissioned by Meath County Council at route selection stage, stressed further by the Discovery Programme at the oral hearing and, more recently, in the evidence given by a series of noted experts to the Oireachtas Environment Committee.
All have stated that Tara does not exist in isolation and that Tara does not just consist of the monuments on the hill.
Secondly, the threat to the Tara landscape is obvious, for the proposed route cuts right through the heart of the Tara-Skryne valley, includes a massive, 26-acre lighted interchange just 1.2 kilometres (not 1.5 miles) from the Hill of Tara itself and will involve the destruction of many sites.
Your editorial comment that these sites are not as significant as Woodstown is ill-informed: the sites confirmed have only been subject to initial testing and for some reason several very complex and possibly multi-period sites found in the geophysical survey were not included in the test trenching carried out last summer. Furthermore, all the sites are part of the already dense Tara landscape, a highly significant factor in itself.
Thirdly, there are alternatives, including a simple one that would not involve re-routing but would require only a change to the PPP contract and the elimination of the Blundelstown interchange (perhaps this is the nub?). Some 85 per cent of the M3, including the long overdue bypasses, could proceed without delay and at much lower cost, while the short contentious section could be left as part of an improved N3 until a better option is worked out.
This would deliver much-needed relief to the hard-pressed commuters, give a necessary breathing space for reconsideration of this section, and preserve a unique part of our heritage for future generations. - Yours, etc.,
JULITTA CLANCY, Assistant Secretary, Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, Parsonstown, Batterstown, Co Meath.
Madam, - I read with interest comments made by the Taoiseach in Navan at the weekend (The Irish Times, February 21st). It seems he is somewhat exasperated by the prevalence of archaeology in this country and subsequent implications for infrastructural development.
May I quote policy from the website of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government?
"Respect for cultural heritage and diversity and for ecological integrity and biodiversity are key components of sustainable development. . .Heritage makes an essential contribution to quality of life, giving a context and coherence to the present that acknowledges the contribution of the past. . .Ireland is endowed with a rich heritage. That heritage is inextricably linked with our sense of identity and affirms our historic, cultural and natural inheritance. . .
"Heritage in all its manifestations is one of our key assets and is, therefore, deserving of the highest levels of protection and management thus securing its future for coming generations. Enjoyment of our heritage is the privilege of the current generation which has the responsibility to preserve it for future generations."
May I remind the Taoiseach, before he heads off with his bowl of shamrock, that the main attractions of this country are its natural and cultural heritage, which brings billions in revenue to this island every year (€3.99 billion in 2002 - Bord Fáilte). - Yours, etc.,
GER O'DONOHOE, Old Rahoon Road, Galway.