Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I appreciate that it has been under examination in my Department for some time and I am pleased to be in a position to confirm that a decision has now been arrived at.

To recap for the benefit of the House, the background to the case is that during archaeological monitoring of a nearby housing development, part of the remains of the medieval Lorro Gate to the town of Athenry was discovered. The discovery was made under the site of a new road roundabout that the housing developer is obliged to put in place as part of his planning permission. The objective of the roundabout is to ensure the safety of vehicles entering and exiting the new development and also to service other traffic to and from the town.

The town defences of Athenry are an important national monument within the meaning of the National Monuments Acts. Part of the town wall is already protected by a preservation order. Public safety is also a very important consideration. The need to balance these two factors has meant that every option has had to be carefully examined with a view to arriving at a solution that facilitates effective traffic management and, at the same time, seeks to preserve an important monument for the benefit of future generations.

The proposal put forward by the developer for ministerial consent under the National Monuments Acts was for the archaeological remains to be preserved in situ under the proposed roundabout. Given the archaeological, historical and local significance of the site, reports were subsequently produced by a number of relevant bodies to assist in the examination of the proposal. These included my Department's National Monuments Service, Galway County Council's roads and transportation department assisted by National Roads Authority, and the Department of Transport.

Having carefully considered the application for consent, and the related reports in relation to the monument, the Minister, Deputy Gormley, has now decided to approve the preservation of the archaeological remains in situ under the roundabout as the most reasonable approach, taking all relevant factors into account. The approval will be subject to a number of conditions. Apart from standard archaeological requirements, the main objective will be to ensure that the roundabout is constructed to a high aesthetic standard, appropriate to its location, and that the discovery itself is suitably recorded and marked on site. The formal notice of consent will issue from my Department within the next few days.

I am pleased that a conclusion has now been reached in this case. I hope the finished project will appeal to everyone who has taken an interest in it and, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Gormley, I thank them for their advice and assistance in this matter.