Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I listened with interest to the contributions of Members and I thank them for their comments. It is evident that people feel passionately about this matter. I ask Members to listen to what I have to say because I believe I can respond, adequately and positively, in respect of the issues of concern.

The motion provides a welcome opportunity to debate an important issue, namely, the upgrading of the national roads network and its impact on our archaeological heritage. I wish to state clearly the Government's commitment to the objectives of upgrading our transport infrastructure and protecting our environmental and archaeological heritage. The identification and minimisation of impacts on our environmental and archaeological heritage is at the centre of the NRA's guidelines on project management. More particularly, the approach to archaeological issues is set out in the code of practice on archaeology for the national roads programme agreed in 2000 by the NRA and the then Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands. This code of practice sets out a comprehensive and transparent approach for the treatment of archaeology on national road projects. It has provided a framework for dealing with archaeological sites and features in accordance with best practice.

Before dealing with the Clonee-Kells project, it would be useful to set it in the context of the national roads programme generally. Investment in our roads network is critical for the ongoing development of the economy, the facilitation of regional development, the provision of safer roads and shorter and more reliable travel times and the enhancement of our quality of life. For these reasons, the Government prioritised investment in national roads as part of the national development plan. Investment during the period 2000-04 will amount to approximately €5 billion.

The results of this investment are clearly evident, with bottlenecks throughout the country being removed. Major projects completed include the M1, Dublin to Dundalk; bypasses of Kildare, Monasterevin and Cashel; the N7, Limerick southern ring road — phase 1; the N22, Ballincollig bypass; and the N11, Ashford-Rathnew road, to name but a few. Work continues on many other projects including the Fermoy, Ennis, Loughrea, Mullingar, Cavan, Ballyshannon-Bundoran and Kinnegad-Enfield bypasses; the Sligo inner relief road; the Dublin Port tunnel; and the south-eastern motorway, which will complete the M50 from the M1 to the M11. Planning is under way on projects such as the widening of the M50 and provision of freeflow interchanges, the Waterford city bypass, the Kinnegad-Athlone road and so on. Since the start of the NDP in 2000, 46 projects have been completed, 20 are currently under construction, nine are at tender stage and a further 12 are either through the statutory process or before An Bord Pleanála. A major transformation of our national road network is under way and it is about time.

The upgrade of the N3 is an important part of the national roads upgrade programme. The Clonee — north of Kells — motorway is a much needed project, consistent with both the national development plan and the national spatial strategy. It is a vital item of infrastructure which will contribute to the ongoing success of the local and regional economy, bring about better balanced regional development, improve safety and improve access to and from Dublin, the ports and the airport. In addition, this project will transform the quality of life for those people living in Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells. It will result in reductions of through traffic of 75% in Dunshaughlin, 78% in Navan and 90% in Kells. It will also benefit everyone living along the existing N3 by removing most of the through traffic and associated congestion which currently affects their lives on a daily basis. The existing road is not coping with the traffic volumes using the route and the situation will only become worse given the planned development in County Meath and further afield.

I am fully aware of the rich archaeological landscape in County Meath, the importance of the Hill of Tara and its significance to our national heritage. Both Meath County Council and the National Roads Authority are also aware of the special place that the Hill of Tara holds in the national consciousness and of their responsibilities to protect it and the cultural heritage of County Meath. Listening to some of the contributors to the debate, one might form the impression that no proper consideration has been given to this M3 proposal but nothing could be further from the truth. I welcome the opportunity to clarify the position which may assist people in making up their own minds about it.

A great deal of time, expertise and expense has been expended in developing the M3 motorway scheme through the planning process. Every effort has been made to mitigate the impact of the proposed road through the landscape surrounding the Hill of Tara. On the question of the proximity of the motorway to the Hill of Tara, I wish to emphasise that the proposed road passes between the Hill of Skryne to the east and the Hill of Tara to the west. The route was carefully chosen so as to avoid the important core zone around Tara, which has national monument status. The chosen route lies 1.5 km to the east of the limit of the record of monuments designated area and east of the existing N3 road. The motorway as it passes through the Tara-Skryne valley will be a greater distance from the Hill of Tara than the existing N3 Dublin-Navan Road. The scheme has been designed to minimise physical and visual impacts on the archaeological landscape around Tara.

Great care was taken by Meath County Council and the NRA to avoid any previously recorded or upstanding monuments when planning the route of the M3 project. Statements that the selected route was "the only route that was considered by the NRA" are incorrect. A total of ten route options in four broad corridors were examined as part of the route selection study for the Dunshaughlin-Navan section of the scheme which involves the Tara area. Project planning and assessment of route options were carried out over a period of more than three years. The impact on archaeology, as well as implications for other aspects of the environment, effects on people and their homes, the extent to which farms would be severed, together with traffic, engineering and cost considerations were taken into account in evaluating the ten route options in the Tara area. The archaeological consultants engaged by Meath County Council to advise on route selection concluded that the preferred route which emerged from this process was a viable route in terms of archaeology. The preferred route was assessed as best or joint best under 14 of the 13 assessment criteria used as part of the environmental impact evaluation process and accordingly scored higher on environmental grounds than any alternative route.

The public consultation process saw 4,000 people attend public meetings. The preferred route was subsequently submitted to An Bord Pleanála for consideration. Following a 28-day oral hearing during which extensive attention was given to archaeology and potential impacts on Tara, the board approved the M3 Clonee-north of Kells road project proposal. In this regard it should be noted that the decision to approve the proposal was, inter alia, based on the board's conclusion that the motorway scheme" is necessary to provide adequately for the existing and projected traffic growth and would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area". The board also concluded that the scheme, "would not have significant adverse effects on the environment."

It may be helpful to Members if I set out in more detail the extent of the archaeological work carried out on the proposed route. I understand from the NRA that in the case of the M3 a test trench was excavated along the centreline of the 59 km length of the route with cross-trenches being dug every 20 metres. This work, as would be expected, has identified a number of previously unknown archaeological sites and features. Reports on the sites concerned have been submitted to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to assist the Minister in determining the most appropriate manner in which to deal with the sites concerned. The reports concerned relate to a total of 38 sites on the 15 km section of the route between Dunshaughlin and Navan.

The extent to which new sites have been discovered, approximately 2.5 sites per kilometre, would be similar to the experience on many other schemes throughout the country and in some cases the incidence of sites on the M3 is substantially less than finds on certain other national road schemes. On the M1 route a total of 211 previously unknown archaeological sites were found over a distance of 601 km, an average of 3.5 sites per kilometre. In addition, in the case of the Cashel bypass, which was opened to traffic last month, 100 new sites were located on the 7 km of the bypass, or 14 sites per kilometre. The reports on the new discoveries on the M3 were submitted to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. They identify "burnt spreads" or "ancient cooking places" as the most common site type. Other sites include former burial locations and possible foundations of houses, including five of relatively recent origin. Overall the new discoveries appear to be along expected lines and do not appear to be of unique archaeological value in their own right.

The test trenching on the route of the M3 project was carried out by archaeologists who were familiar with the results of the previous surveys undertaken along the route. The purpose of these archaeological investigations is to identify new sites along the route. Those discovered are reported to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and will be dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Minister. Rather than losing sites, this work is adding to the archaeological record long-forgotten sites that have no visible presence in the landscape.

The upgrade of the N3 between Clonee and Kells is an important project for the national roads programme overall. It is important for the towns of Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells; for access to and within the Border and north midlands regions and for access to and from the north west. It has been planned, designed and approved in accordance with statutory requirements. I understand that every effort has been made to minimise and mitigate the impact of the project on local communities, on the natural heritage and on the archaeological heritage.

The Government is firmly committed to ensuring that investment in the national roads programme is planned and implemented in a manner which ensures the protection of our national heritage and archaeological sites and features. The Minister for Transport is committed to ensuring that the NRA works proactively with the national monuments division of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in ensuring that archaeological issues arising on national roads projects are resolved in accordance with best practice. In recent years the archaeological work carried out under the national roads programme has made a significant contribution to our store of knowledge about our past. The Government wishes to ensure that the national roads investment programme is implemented in a manner which minimises any adverse impact on the environment and, as far as possible, protects our national heritage. I hope this reply has been helpful to the debate.