Madam, – Minister for the Environment, John Gormley has made an effort, I’ll give him that. He claims to be a supporter of the fight to save Tara. He recently announced that although he can do nothing to stop the M3 Motorway from being built, the Tara–Skryne Valley could be designated as a Special Conservation Area. “This would,” he claims, “protect the archeological and historic landscape and make it difficult for any construction to take place within the zone.” In particular, this designation would protect the Tara-Skryne Valley from “large-scale development, such as shopping centres, or retail parks” or “inappropriate development.”
In my opinion, the M3 motorway is an inappropriate development. Also, his new proposal would only prohibit the construction of retail parks and shopping centres, and the other negative development associated with motorways. If this is considered an inappropriate development, then we still have to fear the “appropriate” development. It seems Tara is still vulnerable to small stores, houses, gas stations, and developers who would descend like vultures to tear the designation apart and find every loophole.
If this new proposal is to go through, he states that it will not be in place until the middle of next year. Is that soon enough for Tara? Mr Gormley seems to be saying one thing and doing another. Although he claims to support the efforts of TaraWatch, his actions indicate that we seem to be nothing more than a thorn in his side. It almost seems that he is doing something – anything – just to get us off his back.
If he could not stop the construction of the M3 motorway as he claims, why not make the Tara-Skryne Valley protected from all construction? Why only from what he considers to be negative or inappropriate? He also states that the new designation would “make it difficult for any construction to take place within the zone”. Difficult – but not impossible.
I desperately hope my accusations are found to be untrue, but I fear that in time, that will not be the case. We must have action now if we hope to save Ireland’s precious history for our children to experience. – Yours, etc,