EU officials have called on the Irish Government to halt work on part of the M3 motorway after concern was expressed about the impact on newly discovered ruins at the Hill of Tara, it emerged today.
In a letter to Minister for the Environment John Gormley, chairman of the union's petitions committee Marcin Libicki said that in light of the 2000-year old ruins found at Lismullin, work on that section of the project should be halted and a route review carried out.
The committee received a number of protest letters about the motorway route from environmentalists.
Earlier this month MEP Kathy Sinnott claimed the construction work was illegal as under EU Law the project needed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
While one was carried out in 2003 it was done on the basis that no national monument lay in the motorway's path.
A spokesman for Mr Gormley said the minister's concern was the proper excavation of the Lismullin ruins and he is seeking legal advice on the EIA.
"Several members [of the committee] voiced concerns about recent developments related to the M3 project at Tara and Lismullin and the Skryne Valley," Mr Libicki wrote.
"Many members, including myself, share the view that in the light of the discovery of previously unrecorded, yet vitally important archaeology on the current route at Lismullin and nearby, urgent action is needed to halt existing works in this area and to review the routing of this section of the M3 motorway."
The Lismullin site, thought to be over 2000 years old, was discovered during work on the road project in April and was later given national monument status.
In one of his final acts of office, former Minister for the Environment Dick Roche controversially signed an order of preservation by record for the site, meaning the prehistoric henge would be photographed, sketched and measured before being razed to make way for the motorway.
Following advice from the Attorney General, Mr Gormley said he had no power to review the order and state archaeologists claimed the ruins were too fragile to be preserved.
Mr Libicki said Europe's common heritage must be protected.
"I am very much aware of the fact that there are many complex factors to be taken account of in ordering a review but I trust the outcome will be a decision which complies with Ireland's obligations under EU law and which respects and protects a most important feature of Europe's common heritage," he wrote.
A spokesman for Mr Gormley said an immediate reply was issued to the letter, in which he stressed his powerlessness to re-route the motorway, but reiterated his desire to properly excavate the fragile Lismullin ruins.