Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

The route of the M3 at Tara is very controversial. It is certainly true that the NRA did not recommend the most important route, which was the one that would least damage the archaeology of the area — I believe it was termed "the pink route". Nevertheless, because of due process and planning, legal and other issues that were examined at the time, Fine Gael believes the route must proceed and we support it.

However, the Green Party has a different view. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, said:

We are not willing to lose our archaeological past or give up our sense of ourselves and from whence we come. The current political mood questions where we are now and the way the Government wants to move forward. It is bent on building roads and servicing the building industry at whatever cost. That is its idea of progress. It is not progress, it is destruction, it is bad transport and social planning and ... it is destroying the essence of our heritage and our ability to understand it.

As late as 14 May 2007, Deputy Cuffe, on behalf of the Green Party, said: "The Green Party wants all work on this controversial motorway to come to an end, in particular the massive floodlit Blundelstown interchange." It is, however, still there and the Minister has not arranged for it to be removed. Deputy Cuffe continued: "Instead we are calling for the upgrading of the existing N3 Road." The reality is that the Green Party has betrayed its base. It has betrayed what its members said no later than 14 May 2007.

In its election manifesto, the Green Party was so bold as to say that where there is concern about potential damage to our heritage, it will investigate how this can be minimised within the scope of the contract or by renegotiation. However, the facts are that the Minister, Deputy Gormley, has been on planet Bertie for perhaps only a few weeks and the Minister's sacred site has been visited by the person who held office before him, the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, who is quoted as having said that the question of the M3 was discussed. He said there was nothing underhand about his decision. He believes it was discussed during negotiations with the Green Party.

I ask the Minister, Deputy Gormley, whether it was discussed. Where does he stand on this issue? In what position has the Government left him standing on this issue? Is it not a fact that he has been left to defend the indefensible from his party's point of view? When the Minister said that Fianna Fáil visits its sacred sites, he said it is in "the tent at the Galway races, where they pay homage to their gods and the gods bestow them with gifts for doing their bidding". The Minister of State, Deputy Roche, has done the Minister's bidding. He has visited the Minister's sacred site and from the Minister's perspective he has allowed to develop something to which the Minister's party is totally opposed. To paraphrase the words of the Minister, Deputy Gormley, "It is a strange place, Planet Bertie". It is certainly strange and alien to his party's sensibilities.

The facts are the Minister has failed at the first hurdle. His predecessor emasculated the Green Party by going against one of its core values, which was highlighted on 14 May when the Minister, Deputy Gormley, stated this controversial motorway must come to an end. I call on the Minister to defend himself if he can.

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