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EspañolN3 ROAD
:''This article is about a road in Ireland. For other roads with the same name see N3.''
The 'N3 road' is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland, running between Dublin, Cavan Town and the border with County Fermanagh. The A509 and A46 roads in Northern Ireland form part of an overall route connecting to Enniskillen, and northwest to the border again where the N3 reappears to serve Ballyshannon in County Donegal. The Navan - Kells corridor currently suffers from very poor road infrastructure (the current N3 here is a limited two-lane country road) and has no passenger rail services.
Rush hour congestion between Navan and Dublin city is very heavy (up to 22,000 vehicles per day on parts of the N3 in 2002), and problems notably occur at Dunshaughlin and sometimes Navan. A tolled motorway bypass upgrade (M3 motorway) is under construction (2007) for part of the N3 route.
The route is known as the Navan Road as it leaves Dublin, passing near the Phoenix Park's northeastern exit and bypassing Castleknock.
It passes through a major junction with the M50 motorway, consisting of a busy (and often grid-locked) grade-separated roundabout on the N3. It is planned to convert it into a 'free-flow' grade separated interchange, as part of a major project to widen the M50.
Having crossed the M50 the road bypasses Blanchardstown, Mulhuddart and Clonee with dual carriageway. The dual carriageway reduces to a single carriageway shortly past the Meath border and it passes through the often heavily congested Dunshaughlin village, Navan town (which is partially bypassed on an inner-relief road with traffic lights controlling junctions) and Kells in County Meath, before passing through Virginia and reaching Cavan Town. After Cavan town, the road continues past Butlersbridge and through Belturbet (both in County Cavan), the route then crosses the border with Northern Ireland, becoming the A509 to Enniskillen. The A49 road connects Enniskillen and the Donegal border, becoming the N3 across the border at Belleek, and connecting to Ballyshannon. From there, the N15 goes North to Donegal Town and Lifford, and south to Sligo.
Part of the present N3 route is due to be bypassed by the construction of 49 kilometres of new motorway. The bypassed section of the existing N3 will be reclassified as an regional road, and the N3 national primary route will thereafter include the M3 - according to Ireland's route number scheme). The M3 will begin near the end of the existing dual carriageway outside Clonee and terminate south west of Kells just before the N52. The entire scheme will not terminate at this point as a new realigned N3 will continue to bypass Kells before terminating near the County Cavan border. The scheme also includes the N52 Kells northern bypass. Thus when completed, the M3 will bypass Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Navan, and Kells.
As of 2007 the motorway plan is contested because the route passes near the Hill of Tara and through the archaeologically rich Tara-Skyne valley or Gabhra. The planned route corridor was approved by An Bord Pleanála (Ireland's planning appeals board) in August 2003. The development is controversial, however construction is now well underway despite threats of further legal challanges. ([1][2] Objectors, including more than 350 academics and the head of the National Museum of Ireland, say the motorway will irreparably damage the region's heritage. Those opposing the plans wish for an alternative route to be chosen instead. The National Roads Authority (NRA) and others (such as most local residents and business groups) insist that the alternative routes are too far from towns in the area, and that the road is needed to address urgent traffic problems. Supporters of the present M3 plans point out that 71% of the vote in the 2005 Meath bye-election went to parties supporting the construction of the M3, these parties included Fianna Fáil, the Progressive Democrats and Fine Gael. This point was reinforced when 4 Fianna Fáil and 2 Fine Gael TDs were returned in Meath in the 2007 General Election. Supporters also state that the new M3 motorway will be farther away from the historic Hill of Tara than the existing N3 road. However, critics claim that the fact that it will be marginally further away is irrelevant because it will have a far greater visual and noise impact than the smaller, relatively hidden single carriageway road.
The visual impact of the motorway on the Tara-Skryne valley is one of the main objections to the present route. The NRA insist that the route will be heavily planted and integrated into the existing landscape. Those in favour of the route also point out that the Minister for the Environment is on record as saying that he has agreed remedial measures with the NRA to modify the proposed lighting at the controversial Blundelstown interchange near Tara to lessen its visual impact on the environment.
The objectors claim that the motorway will do little to ease the misery of commuters in County Meath as the motorway will feed into the existing N3 dual carriageway which includes an at grade roundabout in Blanchardstown near its junction the M50 motorway, the busiest road in Ireland. This junction is only 3 kilometres north of the congested Westlink toll plaza and is west of the congested Navan Road/Cabra/Phibsboro areas. However, both the M50 and the junction with the N3 are going to be reconstructed; the M50 capacity is being increased by 50% and the junction is to be developed as partially 'freeflow'. The NRA stated in response to a query at the statutory oral hearing into the M3 toll scheme, held in Navan on January 17, 2007 that the N3/M50 junction would now not be fully freeflow as widely believed. Motorists travelling north on the M50 wishing to leave the motorway at the N3 interchange to travel west on the N3 (Cavan and Ballyshannon) or east on the N3 (Dublin) will have to pass through traffic light controlled junctions.
The opponents of the M3 also point out that (in the worst case) a commuter travelling to work in suburban South Dublin from Kells would have to pay 3 tolls in each direction (two on the M3 and one on the M50). There are currently 5 toll roads in Ireland. These toll roads are the M50 (which is tolled twice for some users, at its port (tunnel) entrance and exit and at the Westlink toll plaza), M1, M4, M8 and the Eastlink bridge. Tolls are generally used on roads where a private consortium agree to construct and maintain a road in return for toll revenue from those using the road. Controversially when the M3 is built there will be 4 toll plazas in County Meath, on the M3 (tolled twice), M1 and M4.
The M3, as planned, will cut through the grounds of one of Ireland's most historic palladian stately homes, Ardbraccan House, through parkland in the vicinity of the rapidly growing town of Navan at Dalgan Park, and cut off a medieval graveyard which is still in use at Ardbraccan from its hinterland. This has been criticised by environmentalists who claim that alternative routes were available that would have avoided these impacts on heritage or environmentally important sites. The National Roads Authority deny this and state that only one other route would have had less archaeological impact than the chosen route but it would have had far greater impact under other impact assessment headings. They also point out the motorway has gone through the full planning system and was subject to an 28 day oral hearing by An Bord Pleanala, the State planning appeals board, who granted permission for its construction in August 2003 subject to certain conditions.
Conor Newman, of the Department of Archaeology at NUI Galway, has written some the most important of academic works on Tara. He said that what happens at Tara would be ''"the yardstick against which our reputation as guardians of cultural heritage will be judged"''.[3] Dr Pat Wallace, the Director of the National Museum of Ireland, has questioned the methodology used by National Roads Authority (NRA) archaeologists as they document the area before work on the road begins. He said there should be a pause in the work to allow experts to recommend the best way to excavate the site of the henge at Lismullin. Newman went further to say the only way to preserve the site at Lismullin was to cover it with topsoil and walk away.[4] However in more recent times the committee, on which both Wallace and Newman sit, set up to advise the Minister on excavations at Lismullin has agreed in its first report to the Minister that due to the fragile nature of the site it should be excavated as soon as possible due to the fact it would not survive the elements at this stage even if covered due to the continuing bad weather.
Brian Duffy Chief Archaeologist of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government holds a different view to that of Wallace and Newman. He is on record as defending the route of the road. In advice to the Minister in the recent released M3 file he advised, "In addition a route to the west would have a major impact on the amenity and setting of the National Monuments on the Hill of Tara. A motorway to the west of the hill would be highly visible from the hill itself and would be difficult to screen from the hill to an acceptable degree. The view to the west of the Hill of Tara is the most impressive and significant aspect and to route a motorway across that aspect would be an unacceptable impact. A route to the east of Skreen could also impact on the archaeological heritage and would most likely turn west again north of the Skreen ridge to pass to the north of the Hill of Tara but on a higher slope and with higher visibility than the approved route."
It also states that "If it were decided to move the route entirely and to opt for an alternative route there would still be major archaeological concerns to be addressed."
On 12 May, 2005 excavation licenses were approved by the Environment Minister Dick Roche permitting excavations to be carried out on sites of potential archaeological significance along the route of the motorway.
On July 4, 2005, leave was granted to Vincent Salafia in the High Court to judicially review the decision of the Minister.
On the March 1, 2006, the challenge by Mr. Salafia to the proposed route of the M3 motorway near the Hill of Tara monument was dismissed on all grounds by the High Court.
Vincent Salafia announced on April 19, 2006 that he was to appeal against the ruling to the Supreme Court and subsequently to the European Court of Justice if necessary. In October 2006, after protracted negotiations with the authorities, Mr. Salafia announced that he was withdrawing his appeal to the Supreme Court.
On March 7, 2007, SIAC Ferrovial joint venture trading as Eurolink M3 signed a €650 million contract for the construction of the M3 motorway. This is to date the biggest road contract ever signed in Ireland.
On April 4, 2007, An Taisce applied for an injunction in the High Court to halt the construction of the motorway on the basis that the National Roads Authority had failed to draw up a 5 year national roads plan as required by section 18 of the Roads Act 1993. The application was refused. Among the reasons given was undue delay in bringing proceedings and that the application was not out of concern to ensure the law was complied with (as stated) but to block construction of the road.
In late April 2007 An Taisce lodged an appeal in the Supreme Court against this decision. The case currently awaits hearing before the court.
The first sod of the M3 Motorway was turned by the then Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, TD on April 30, 2007.
On May 1, 2007, archaeological work was temporarily suspended on a section of the motorway after archaeologists were reported to have uncovered a potential site of major archaeological significance, an ancient wood henge at Lismullin in the Tara-Skryne Valley, calculated to be at least 4,000 years old, three times the size of a football pitch, evidently a site of ancient outdoor worship, an adjunct to the Hill of Tara, part of the entire Tara complex. Further work at this site was pending the assessment of the Director of the National Museum. The Director was soon after reported to have assessed the site and to have recommended excavation and preservation by record. The monument consisted of the remains of holes made in the ground by wooded posts and once exposed the Director pointed out that it would be impossible to preserve them.
Following the general election, Dick Roche, Minister for the Environment signed an order drafted under the National Monuments Act 1930-2004 directing Meath County Council to excavate the site and preserve the newly discovered monument by record in accordance with the expert advice he had received from the Director of the National Museum.[5]
On the same day Meath TD, Noel Dempsey, was announced as the new Minister for Transport and Marine. The Minister is strong supporter of the road.
The new Minister for the Environment, John Gormley TD is expected to review this decision.[6][7] Gormley is a member of the Irish Green Party, which opposed the route of the motorway during the 2007 election campaign, but then accepted the route in a deal which saw them enter coalition government with Fianna Fáil.[8] The grounds for his change of tack were that the authorization is irreversible for legal reasons. However, among others, the former chairman of An Taisce, Michael Smith has queried the legal basis for Gormley's new stance on the issue.[9]
Minster Gormley has appointed Newman and Wallace to a special committee to oversee archaeological work at the site. The committee also includes Prof Gabriel Cooney, Head of Archaeology at University College Dublin and representatives from the NRA and the National Monument's Service at the Department of the Environment.3[10]
In early June 2007 the site was declared an endangered monument by the World Monuments Fund (WMF).[11]
Opponents to the road have vowed to take further legal action against the archaeological directions. A similar action in the High Court was dismissed in 2006 in relation to the initial directions given in 2005.
A small group of protesters continue to congregate at construction site entrances in the general Tara area and have blockaded these access points on a number of occasions to date.
On the morning of July 18, 2007 construction workers moved in to carry out preliminary works on the approved road scheme at Blundelstown 2 kilometres from the Hill of Tara. Protesters tried to stop the works by blocking construction traffic. 7 protesters were arrested by Gardai, 4 of whom were remanded in custody for a week until the next sitting of the district court after they refused to agree to bail conditions not to interfere with any site along the M3.
The 4 protesters were released from custody on July 25 having accepted the bail conditions not to interfere with any construction site or workers on the M3. The 7 are due to appear before Navan District Court on September 5, 2007 for trial in relation to blocking the free movement of traffic and failing to follow the lawful direction of a Garda.
Excavation began on the site of the National Monument at Lismullin approximately 2.2 km from the Hill of Tara on Tuesday, August 7, 2007. Work on the remainder of the motorway is ongoing and is progressing rapidly.
An Bord Pleanala directed on August 22, 2007, that the excavation did not require fresh planning approval or a new environmental impact assessment as it was not a material change to the overall road scheme. The Motorway now has completed every statutory approval process and construction is ongoing and progressing rapidly.
In the run-up to the 2007 general election opponents of the route of M3 motorway called on the people of Meath to show their dissatisfaction with the route of the M3. An umbrella group of Save Tara organisations published an advert in The Meath Chronicle outlining each parties position on the motorway the day before the election and called on the people of Meath to give their preference to the parties which had policies to reroute the road out of the Tara/Skryne Valley. These parties included Labour, The Green Party and Sinn Féin. The people of Meath did not return any candidates from these parties to the Dáil, choosing instead to elect 4 Fianna Fáil TDs and 2 Fine Gael TDs. This is likely to be interpreted as a clear indication of local support for the motorway along its current route.
The NRA website http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,4664,en.pdf states that of road in the environs of Kells at the end of the motorway section is planned to be 2+1 roadway. This is not included in the scheme's plans and therefore it remains to be seen if this correct. The same webpage also states the motorway will be long, this is at variance with the An Bord Pleanala inspector's report and Meath County Council statutory notices which state the motorway will be in length with 2 kilometres of new dual carriageway. The scheme however does provide 49 kilometres of new dual carriageway so its exact length will depend on where the "motorway now" signs are placed.
★ The most expensive single contract road project ever undertaken in Ireland coming in at approximately €650 million according to SIAC.
★ It will be tolled at two locations, one point north of Navan and another point between Dunshaughlin and Clonee for 45 years running from 2007. The Government have the option to buy out this contract at any time.
★ The price level of tolls is controlled by the Board of the NRA and they can reduce or increase (or even remove) the tolls as they see appropriate (like is the case with every other toll road in Ireland, Port Tunnel weekend price reduction is an example). Should they lower the tolls on the M3 the government would have to make up the difference of what is owed yearly to Eurolink M3 Ltd through tax revenue. Therefore it is a myth that Eurolink would suffer from the opening of the navan rail line as they are guaranteed their financial return regardless. The tolling is a state initiative to pay them back for building it in the first place.
★ The toll at each of the M3 toll plazas if they opened in 2007 would be €1.30 according to the M3 Toll Byelaws. This would be the cheapest toll on the national road network, being €0.40 cheaper than the M1 or M8. Even if users had to use both toll plazas travelling in one direction (e.g. people living in Kells) the toll would be equal to that presently charged on the Kilcock - Enfield - Kinnegad M4 motorway. If you live in Navan you will actually pay €0.80 less per day on a round trip to Dublin using the M3 than people in Drogheda or Dundalk using the M1. That is €4 less per week or approximately €18 less per month than M1 users.
★ It is the longest road project ever to be constructed in Ireland including nearly 100 Kilometres (circa 95km) of new or upgraded road including 49 Km of new M3, 10 Km of new N3, 20 Km of new link roads and interchanges, and approximately 15 kilometres (conservative calculation) of local road improvements, footpaths, cycle lanes and new bridges.
★ Arguably the most controversial road project ever to be built in Ireland.
★ It was originally planned to open in 2006.
★ An Bord Pleanala initially approved the project on 22 August, 2003. Exactly 4 years later to the day, on August 22nd 2007 they directed that the excavation of the Lismullin monument did not require fresh planning approval.
The line from Navan to Drogheda, an indirect route to Dublin, remains in use for freight, and has been used by passengers as late as the late 1980s, when it was specially used to bring Meath people to Dublin to attend the All-Ireland Football Final in Croke Park.
1.
Is nothing scared?
2.
In Ireland, Commuters vs. Kings
3.
Gormley appoints critic to advise on Tara site
4.
Minister urged to rethink excavation of M3 site
5.
Roche approves resumption of work at Tara
6.
Gormley to review M3-Tara decision
7.
Gormley to review Roche's M3 decision
8.
Greens agree on terms to join coalition government
9.
Gormley has discretion to call a halt to M3
10.
Critic of M3 route appointed to Tara committee
11.
Tara called 'endangered heritage site'
★ NRA Project page for M3 Motorway
★ Zoney Irish Roads website
★ Meath on Track Navan railway campaign
★ Photo Survey of Navan's existing railway line
★ Official Tara /M3 litigation info web site
★ Save Tara - TaraWatch Campaign
★ BBC News article
★ Washington Post article
★ M3 Clonee-North of Kells, Environmental Impact Statement Non-Technical Summary, Vol 1 (PDF 3.38 MB), published February 2002, Official M3 website, accessed 5 December 2006.
 N3 | |
|---|---|
| Destinations (SE to NW) | |
| On route / ''bypassed'' | |
★ 'County Dublin' ★ ★ Dublin City ★ ★ ''Castleknock'' ★ ★ ''Blanchardstown'' ★ 'County Meath' ★ ★ ''Clonee'' ★ ★ Dunshaughlin ★ ★ ★ ''Ross Cross'' ★ ★ ★ Navan ★ ★ ★ Kells ★ ★ ★ Carnaross | ★ 'County Cavan' ★ ★ Lisduff ★ ★ Virginia ★ ★ New Inn ★ ★ ''Cavan Town'' ★ ★ ''Butlersbridge'' ★ ★ Belturbet ★ 'County Donegal' ★ ★ Ballyshannon |
★ | |
The 'N3 road' is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland, running between Dublin, Cavan Town and the border with County Fermanagh. The A509 and A46 roads in Northern Ireland form part of an overall route connecting to Enniskillen, and northwest to the border again where the N3 reappears to serve Ballyshannon in County Donegal. The Navan - Kells corridor currently suffers from very poor road infrastructure (the current N3 here is a limited two-lane country road) and has no passenger rail services.
Rush hour congestion between Navan and Dublin city is very heavy (up to 22,000 vehicles per day on parts of the N3 in 2002), and problems notably occur at Dunshaughlin and sometimes Navan. A tolled motorway bypass upgrade (M3 motorway) is under construction (2007) for part of the N3 route.
| Contents |
| Route |
| M3 Motorway Upgrade |
| Controversy |
| M3 Latest Developments |
| Political Considerations |
| Anomaly |
| Trivia |
| Footnotes |
| References |
| External links |
Route
The route is known as the Navan Road as it leaves Dublin, passing near the Phoenix Park's northeastern exit and bypassing Castleknock.
It passes through a major junction with the M50 motorway, consisting of a busy (and often grid-locked) grade-separated roundabout on the N3. It is planned to convert it into a 'free-flow' grade separated interchange, as part of a major project to widen the M50.
Having crossed the M50 the road bypasses Blanchardstown, Mulhuddart and Clonee with dual carriageway. The dual carriageway reduces to a single carriageway shortly past the Meath border and it passes through the often heavily congested Dunshaughlin village, Navan town (which is partially bypassed on an inner-relief road with traffic lights controlling junctions) and Kells in County Meath, before passing through Virginia and reaching Cavan Town. After Cavan town, the road continues past Butlersbridge and through Belturbet (both in County Cavan), the route then crosses the border with Northern Ireland, becoming the A509 to Enniskillen. The A49 road connects Enniskillen and the Donegal border, becoming the N3 across the border at Belleek, and connecting to Ballyshannon. From there, the N15 goes North to Donegal Town and Lifford, and south to Sligo.
M3 Motorway Upgrade
Part of the present N3 route is due to be bypassed by the construction of 49 kilometres of new motorway. The bypassed section of the existing N3 will be reclassified as an regional road, and the N3 national primary route will thereafter include the M3 - according to Ireland's route number scheme). The M3 will begin near the end of the existing dual carriageway outside Clonee and terminate south west of Kells just before the N52. The entire scheme will not terminate at this point as a new realigned N3 will continue to bypass Kells before terminating near the County Cavan border. The scheme also includes the N52 Kells northern bypass. Thus when completed, the M3 will bypass Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Navan, and Kells.
Controversy
The Hill of Tara (aerial view)
The visual impact of the motorway on the Tara-Skryne valley is one of the main objections to the present route. The NRA insist that the route will be heavily planted and integrated into the existing landscape. Those in favour of the route also point out that the Minister for the Environment is on record as saying that he has agreed remedial measures with the NRA to modify the proposed lighting at the controversial Blundelstown interchange near Tara to lessen its visual impact on the environment.
The objectors claim that the motorway will do little to ease the misery of commuters in County Meath as the motorway will feed into the existing N3 dual carriageway which includes an at grade roundabout in Blanchardstown near its junction the M50 motorway, the busiest road in Ireland. This junction is only 3 kilometres north of the congested Westlink toll plaza and is west of the congested Navan Road/Cabra/Phibsboro areas. However, both the M50 and the junction with the N3 are going to be reconstructed; the M50 capacity is being increased by 50% and the junction is to be developed as partially 'freeflow'. The NRA stated in response to a query at the statutory oral hearing into the M3 toll scheme, held in Navan on January 17, 2007 that the N3/M50 junction would now not be fully freeflow as widely believed. Motorists travelling north on the M50 wishing to leave the motorway at the N3 interchange to travel west on the N3 (Cavan and Ballyshannon) or east on the N3 (Dublin) will have to pass through traffic light controlled junctions.
The opponents of the M3 also point out that (in the worst case) a commuter travelling to work in suburban South Dublin from Kells would have to pay 3 tolls in each direction (two on the M3 and one on the M50). There are currently 5 toll roads in Ireland. These toll roads are the M50 (which is tolled twice for some users, at its port (tunnel) entrance and exit and at the Westlink toll plaza), M1, M4, M8 and the Eastlink bridge. Tolls are generally used on roads where a private consortium agree to construct and maintain a road in return for toll revenue from those using the road. Controversially when the M3 is built there will be 4 toll plazas in County Meath, on the M3 (tolled twice), M1 and M4.
The M3, as planned, will cut through the grounds of one of Ireland's most historic palladian stately homes, Ardbraccan House, through parkland in the vicinity of the rapidly growing town of Navan at Dalgan Park, and cut off a medieval graveyard which is still in use at Ardbraccan from its hinterland. This has been criticised by environmentalists who claim that alternative routes were available that would have avoided these impacts on heritage or environmentally important sites. The National Roads Authority deny this and state that only one other route would have had less archaeological impact than the chosen route but it would have had far greater impact under other impact assessment headings. They also point out the motorway has gone through the full planning system and was subject to an 28 day oral hearing by An Bord Pleanala, the State planning appeals board, who granted permission for its construction in August 2003 subject to certain conditions.
Conor Newman, of the Department of Archaeology at NUI Galway, has written some the most important of academic works on Tara. He said that what happens at Tara would be ''"the yardstick against which our reputation as guardians of cultural heritage will be judged"''.[3] Dr Pat Wallace, the Director of the National Museum of Ireland, has questioned the methodology used by National Roads Authority (NRA) archaeologists as they document the area before work on the road begins. He said there should be a pause in the work to allow experts to recommend the best way to excavate the site of the henge at Lismullin. Newman went further to say the only way to preserve the site at Lismullin was to cover it with topsoil and walk away.[4] However in more recent times the committee, on which both Wallace and Newman sit, set up to advise the Minister on excavations at Lismullin has agreed in its first report to the Minister that due to the fragile nature of the site it should be excavated as soon as possible due to the fact it would not survive the elements at this stage even if covered due to the continuing bad weather.
Brian Duffy Chief Archaeologist of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government holds a different view to that of Wallace and Newman. He is on record as defending the route of the road. In advice to the Minister in the recent released M3 file he advised, "In addition a route to the west would have a major impact on the amenity and setting of the National Monuments on the Hill of Tara. A motorway to the west of the hill would be highly visible from the hill itself and would be difficult to screen from the hill to an acceptable degree. The view to the west of the Hill of Tara is the most impressive and significant aspect and to route a motorway across that aspect would be an unacceptable impact. A route to the east of Skreen could also impact on the archaeological heritage and would most likely turn west again north of the Skreen ridge to pass to the north of the Hill of Tara but on a higher slope and with higher visibility than the approved route."
It also states that "If it were decided to move the route entirely and to opt for an alternative route there would still be major archaeological concerns to be addressed."
M3 Latest Developments
On 12 May, 2005 excavation licenses were approved by the Environment Minister Dick Roche permitting excavations to be carried out on sites of potential archaeological significance along the route of the motorway.
On July 4, 2005, leave was granted to Vincent Salafia in the High Court to judicially review the decision of the Minister.
On the March 1, 2006, the challenge by Mr. Salafia to the proposed route of the M3 motorway near the Hill of Tara monument was dismissed on all grounds by the High Court.
Vincent Salafia announced on April 19, 2006 that he was to appeal against the ruling to the Supreme Court and subsequently to the European Court of Justice if necessary. In October 2006, after protracted negotiations with the authorities, Mr. Salafia announced that he was withdrawing his appeal to the Supreme Court.
On March 7, 2007, SIAC Ferrovial joint venture trading as Eurolink M3 signed a €650 million contract for the construction of the M3 motorway. This is to date the biggest road contract ever signed in Ireland.
On April 4, 2007, An Taisce applied for an injunction in the High Court to halt the construction of the motorway on the basis that the National Roads Authority had failed to draw up a 5 year national roads plan as required by section 18 of the Roads Act 1993. The application was refused. Among the reasons given was undue delay in bringing proceedings and that the application was not out of concern to ensure the law was complied with (as stated) but to block construction of the road.
In late April 2007 An Taisce lodged an appeal in the Supreme Court against this decision. The case currently awaits hearing before the court.
The first sod of the M3 Motorway was turned by the then Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, TD on April 30, 2007.
On May 1, 2007, archaeological work was temporarily suspended on a section of the motorway after archaeologists were reported to have uncovered a potential site of major archaeological significance, an ancient wood henge at Lismullin in the Tara-Skryne Valley, calculated to be at least 4,000 years old, three times the size of a football pitch, evidently a site of ancient outdoor worship, an adjunct to the Hill of Tara, part of the entire Tara complex. Further work at this site was pending the assessment of the Director of the National Museum. The Director was soon after reported to have assessed the site and to have recommended excavation and preservation by record. The monument consisted of the remains of holes made in the ground by wooded posts and once exposed the Director pointed out that it would be impossible to preserve them.
Following the general election, Dick Roche, Minister for the Environment signed an order drafted under the National Monuments Act 1930-2004 directing Meath County Council to excavate the site and preserve the newly discovered monument by record in accordance with the expert advice he had received from the Director of the National Museum.[5]
On the same day Meath TD, Noel Dempsey, was announced as the new Minister for Transport and Marine. The Minister is strong supporter of the road.
The new Minister for the Environment, John Gormley TD is expected to review this decision.[6][7] Gormley is a member of the Irish Green Party, which opposed the route of the motorway during the 2007 election campaign, but then accepted the route in a deal which saw them enter coalition government with Fianna Fáil.[8] The grounds for his change of tack were that the authorization is irreversible for legal reasons. However, among others, the former chairman of An Taisce, Michael Smith has queried the legal basis for Gormley's new stance on the issue.[9]
Minster Gormley has appointed Newman and Wallace to a special committee to oversee archaeological work at the site. The committee also includes Prof Gabriel Cooney, Head of Archaeology at University College Dublin and representatives from the NRA and the National Monument's Service at the Department of the Environment.3[10]
In early June 2007 the site was declared an endangered monument by the World Monuments Fund (WMF).[11]
Opponents to the road have vowed to take further legal action against the archaeological directions. A similar action in the High Court was dismissed in 2006 in relation to the initial directions given in 2005.
A small group of protesters continue to congregate at construction site entrances in the general Tara area and have blockaded these access points on a number of occasions to date.
On the morning of July 18, 2007 construction workers moved in to carry out preliminary works on the approved road scheme at Blundelstown 2 kilometres from the Hill of Tara. Protesters tried to stop the works by blocking construction traffic. 7 protesters were arrested by Gardai, 4 of whom were remanded in custody for a week until the next sitting of the district court after they refused to agree to bail conditions not to interfere with any site along the M3.
The 4 protesters were released from custody on July 25 having accepted the bail conditions not to interfere with any construction site or workers on the M3. The 7 are due to appear before Navan District Court on September 5, 2007 for trial in relation to blocking the free movement of traffic and failing to follow the lawful direction of a Garda.
Excavation began on the site of the National Monument at Lismullin approximately 2.2 km from the Hill of Tara on Tuesday, August 7, 2007. Work on the remainder of the motorway is ongoing and is progressing rapidly.
An Bord Pleanala directed on August 22, 2007, that the excavation did not require fresh planning approval or a new environmental impact assessment as it was not a material change to the overall road scheme. The Motorway now has completed every statutory approval process and construction is ongoing and progressing rapidly.
Political Considerations
In the run-up to the 2007 general election opponents of the route of M3 motorway called on the people of Meath to show their dissatisfaction with the route of the M3. An umbrella group of Save Tara organisations published an advert in The Meath Chronicle outlining each parties position on the motorway the day before the election and called on the people of Meath to give their preference to the parties which had policies to reroute the road out of the Tara/Skryne Valley. These parties included Labour, The Green Party and Sinn Féin. The people of Meath did not return any candidates from these parties to the Dáil, choosing instead to elect 4 Fianna Fáil TDs and 2 Fine Gael TDs. This is likely to be interpreted as a clear indication of local support for the motorway along its current route.
Anomaly
The NRA website http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,4664,en.pdf states that of road in the environs of Kells at the end of the motorway section is planned to be 2+1 roadway. This is not included in the scheme's plans and therefore it remains to be seen if this correct. The same webpage also states the motorway will be long, this is at variance with the An Bord Pleanala inspector's report and Meath County Council statutory notices which state the motorway will be in length with 2 kilometres of new dual carriageway. The scheme however does provide 49 kilometres of new dual carriageway so its exact length will depend on where the "motorway now" signs are placed.
Trivia
★ The most expensive single contract road project ever undertaken in Ireland coming in at approximately €650 million according to SIAC.
★ It will be tolled at two locations, one point north of Navan and another point between Dunshaughlin and Clonee for 45 years running from 2007. The Government have the option to buy out this contract at any time.
★ The price level of tolls is controlled by the Board of the NRA and they can reduce or increase (or even remove) the tolls as they see appropriate (like is the case with every other toll road in Ireland, Port Tunnel weekend price reduction is an example). Should they lower the tolls on the M3 the government would have to make up the difference of what is owed yearly to Eurolink M3 Ltd through tax revenue. Therefore it is a myth that Eurolink would suffer from the opening of the navan rail line as they are guaranteed their financial return regardless. The tolling is a state initiative to pay them back for building it in the first place.
★ The toll at each of the M3 toll plazas if they opened in 2007 would be €1.30 according to the M3 Toll Byelaws. This would be the cheapest toll on the national road network, being €0.40 cheaper than the M1 or M8. Even if users had to use both toll plazas travelling in one direction (e.g. people living in Kells) the toll would be equal to that presently charged on the Kilcock - Enfield - Kinnegad M4 motorway. If you live in Navan you will actually pay €0.80 less per day on a round trip to Dublin using the M3 than people in Drogheda or Dundalk using the M1. That is €4 less per week or approximately €18 less per month than M1 users.
★ It is the longest road project ever to be constructed in Ireland including nearly 100 Kilometres (circa 95km) of new or upgraded road including 49 Km of new M3, 10 Km of new N3, 20 Km of new link roads and interchanges, and approximately 15 kilometres (conservative calculation) of local road improvements, footpaths, cycle lanes and new bridges.
★ Arguably the most controversial road project ever to be built in Ireland.
★ It was originally planned to open in 2006.
★ An Bord Pleanala initially approved the project on 22 August, 2003. Exactly 4 years later to the day, on August 22nd 2007 they directed that the excavation of the Lismullin monument did not require fresh planning approval.
Footnotes
The line from Navan to Drogheda, an indirect route to Dublin, remains in use for freight, and has been used by passengers as late as the late 1980s, when it was specially used to bring Meath people to Dublin to attend the All-Ireland Football Final in Croke Park.
References
1.
Is nothing scared?
2.
In Ireland, Commuters vs. Kings
3.
Gormley appoints critic to advise on Tara site
4.
Minister urged to rethink excavation of M3 site
5.
Roche approves resumption of work at Tara
6.
Gormley to review M3-Tara decision
7.
Gormley to review Roche's M3 decision
8.
Greens agree on terms to join coalition government
9.
Gormley has discretion to call a halt to M3
10.
Critic of M3 route appointed to Tara committee
11.
Tara called 'endangered heritage site'
External links
★ NRA Project page for M3 Motorway
★ Zoney Irish Roads website
★ Meath on Track Navan railway campaign
★ Photo Survey of Navan's existing railway line
★ Official Tara /M3 litigation info web site
★ Save Tara - TaraWatch Campaign
★ BBC News article
★ Washington Post article
★ M3 Clonee-North of Kells, Environmental Impact Statement Non-Technical Summary, Vol 1 (PDF 3.38 MB), published February 2002, Official M3 website, accessed 5 December 2006.
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