A study by UNESCO into a planned municipal waste incinerator at Carranstown, Co Meath, has rejected claims that the development will have major negative impact on the nearby Brú na Bóinne world heritage site.
In a report published yesterday, the world heritage body criticised the Government for not fully co-operating with an investigation team that visited the site last February.
However, the mission said that, having completed its work, it concluded that the planning application "will not have a major effect on the outstanding universal value and the visual integrity of the archaeological ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne".
Expressing "delight" at the findings, Ms Jackie Keaney, communications manager with developers Indaver Ireland, said: "UNESCO has confirmed what we have been saying all along - our facility will not impact on the Bend of the Boyne."
A spokesman for An Taisce, which was one of several objectors to the development, queried the mission's finding in that it took a "narrow interpretation" of the area of the heritage site. But he said An Taisce welcomed the "comprehensive recommendations" on the need to properly manage the site.
The UNESCO mission found no evidence of the existence of archaeological material on the development site, located 6 km from the Brú na Bóinne interpretive centre. In addition, there was "certainly nothing to suggest any cultural remains from the megalithic period.
"While the construction of the incinerator stack will be a visual intrusion, the mission considers that it would have a minimum impact on the World Heritage site compared with the existing cement factory nearby. Any effect on possible archaeological sites of local significance within the application area would be mitigated by archaeological monitoring."
UNESCO said a "lack of clarity of roles" between the Government departments over world heritage issues was due to a "considerable lack of knowledge of the World Heritage Convention and Operational Guidelines" in the OPW's national monuments office and the Department of the Environment.
The UN body called on the Office of Public Works to develop "a methodology for monitoring the state of conservation of the World Heritage site; particularly the effect of the ambient air pollutant on stonework or historical monuments".
