The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, has moved to block planning permission for a commercial development in Clondalkin in Dublin next to one of Ireland's oldest round towers.
Mr Cullen's Department has sent a letter to South Dublin County Council objecting to a bar/restaurant and apartment complex which, it said, could have "a seriously damaging impact" on the character and setting of the tower and could turn it into a "traffic island".
The letter also states that medieval archeological remains could be present on the site and queries an earlier report that the tower would not be structurally damaged by the building works.
"We would seriously question conclusions that vibrations associated with the excavation of bedrock to construct the basement of the proposed public house would not have a negative impact on the monument," it states.
An application for planning permission for the development on a 0.4 acre site within metres of the 8th-century tower was put before the council in June by developer Mr Rory Burgess.
Mr Burgess reached an agreement with the council four years ago for a "cultural and heritage/residential/commercial"development of the site under a land-swap deal. A "specific objective" to develop the lands was also contained in the local authority's development plan. However, councillors agreed a motion last month to remove this objective from the plan. The council could now be open to a legal challenge from Mr Burgess.
South Dublin mayor Cllr Robert Dowds (Labour) welcomed the Minister's intervention and said he hoped it would "lead to further positive intervention on their part, in terms of buying out the site".
Although there had been strong opposition to granting planning permission the decision rests with the council's planning department, Cllr Dowds said.
"Obviously I hope it will be turned down by the planners, but while I can encourage them in that direction, it is their individual decision."
If the application is turned down, Cllr Dowds said he assumes Mr Burgess would appeal to An Bord Pleanála.
Mr Burgess is out of the country and was unavailable for comment.
