Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to speak on this particular petition because the petitioner has repeatedly referenced the Hill of Tara, the Tara landscape valley and areas that are of particular concern to me and mean a lot to me. The Hill of Tara is a very emotive and passionate subject to every single Meath person. It is an area I visit every single weekend with my children. The area is considered by Meath people to be a sacred place. The language used in the petition is extremely insulting to the heritage officer in County Meath, Dr. Loreto Guinan, who has done considerable work. During my time on Meath County Council I worked on a number of conservation projects for that area. I wonder if the petitioner visits the Hill of Tara every single weekend and knows what goes on there in terms of conservation and promotion, and the respect local people have for that sacred place and making sure it is in no way desecrated and is, in fact, enhanced.

There is ongoing conservation work by the Office of Public Works, OPW, at the old cemetery wall which is joined with the Mound of the Hostages. It is painstaking work due to the complexities of the area.

Reference is made to the draft landscape conservation area, LCA, and getting people into a room. People were brought into a room eight years ago. I was there when people verbally attacked the late Minister, Shane McEntee, when the LCA was discussed. The representatives of Meath know this subject well. There was more conservation done on the Hill of Tara during the works on the M3 than ever before. It was a road built miles away from the N3. However, if one listened to RTE or read certain newspapers, one would believe it was built through it.

Planners, councillors, Deputies and everyone associated with the county development plan have protected that monument to the very hilt. When people talk about being uninterested in getting involved with wider infrastructure versus national heritage, I find that insulting. Public representatives in County Meath are passionate and protective about that landscape. It is an insult to our heritage officer given the important place Tara has in world heritage and in the county plan.