QUESTIONS remained last night as to why Environment Minister Dick Roche failed to tell his Cabinet colleague Martin Cullen about the major archaeological find which could yet scupper construction of the M3 motorway.
While the minister in charge of roads was welcoming work beginning on the State's largest motorway project last Monday, Mr Roche was waiting for the National Museum to advise as to what should be done with the pagan temple.
And despite Mr Roche knowing at least 12 days before the sod-turning ceremony that a 3,000-year-old ritual site had been discovered, he decided not to tell his colleague and waited until after the event before relaying the news.
He could yet decide that the find is so important that it must be preserved, which would result in a re-routing of the road around the Tara Skyrne Valley and a serious setback for Mr Cullen.
Instead, his environment colleague ended up stealing the limelight just 24 hours later when he announced that work at Lismullin in Co Meath would stop pending a decision on what to do with the country's newest national monument.
Yesterday it emerged that the National Roads Authority (NRA) informed the Department of the Environment on April 4 that a major find had emerged on the route of the M3 from Clonee to Kells.
The following day, the State's Chief Archaeologist Brian Duffy and officials from the National Museum visited the site and decided that the find was so significant that all work around it would have to stop.
Two weeks later, on April 18, the NRA submitted a report to the Department of the Environment and the minister was informed. Two days later, on April 20, he wrote to the Director of the National Museum Pat Wallace - who had serious misgivings about the proposed route - seeking his views.
But Minister Roche didn't inform his transport colleague about the find. Twelve days later, Mr Cullen went to Navan to turn the sod ignorant of the development.
Yesterday, Mr Roche was not available.
A spokesperson said: "He has written to the Director of the National Museum and is waiting for a response. He had no role in relation to the route.
"Our sole responsibility is for the archaeology, the NRA and local authority (Meath County Council) are the project leaders.
"The obligations in respect of the NRA under the legislation (National Monuments Act) is to notify us and the National Museum which they did. Everything has been done to the letter of the law."
A spokesman for Mr Cullen said: "The fact of the matter is the road project hasn't stopped."
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
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