NEW Green Party Environment Minister John Gormley walked into a storm on his first day in office by suggesting he would be unable to reverse his predecessor’s decision to build the M3 over an historic monument near Tara.
Fine Gael claimed the Greens had been “politically emasculated” in their first hour in government, while Labour said inaction by Mr Gormley would prove his party’s involvement in the coalition was merely “a cosmetic exercise”.
On Tuesday, outgoing Environment Minister Dick Roche signed an order for the “preservation by record” of the prehistoric henge discovered at Lismullen, Co Meath, earlier this year.
“Preservation by record” involves archaeological sites or monuments being removed and photographic and written records made before construction begins.
Mr Roche said it would have been “mean-spirited” to leave such a “thorny decision” to an incoming minister. He said he made the decision based on advice from the department’s chief archaeologist and indicated the director of the National Museum, Dr Pat Wallace, supported the decision.
Dr Wallace could not be reached for comment last night, but Mr Roche insisted: “Pat Wallace was very complimentary in the correspondence he sent back to me, and he did accept that this was the appropriate way, so I made the decision.”
Asked if Mr Gormley had the power to review the situation, Mr Roche responded: “I don’t mind if he wishes to review it. I think in fact any minister sitting in my office in Custom House making the decision on the basis of that file would have made the decision I have made. I did the man some service by not passing the buck to him.”
Mr Gormley said his “initial view” was that he would not be able to overturn the decision, but said he would examine the file in the coming days and would also speak to Dr Wallace.
“I think it’s fair to say that I can’t really do anything about my predecessor’s decisions,” Mr Gormley said.
But Labour environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore said his party had received legal advice suggesting Mr Gormley could overturn the decision. “The action Mr Gormley now takes will give us a clear indication as to whether there has been a genuine change of direction as the Greens claim, or whether the changes have been of a largely cosmetic nature,” he said.
Irish Examiner
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