Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the circumstances surrounding the decision to proceed with the construction of the M3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17847/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 360: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when exactly he was informed of the decision regarding the decision to progress with the M3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17848/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 362: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department or former Minister consulted with any Members of the Oireachtas, either directly or indirectly, prior to 15 June 2007 regarding the decision to proceed with construction of the M3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17850/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 359, 360 and 362 together.

The statutory role of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in relation to an approved road development lies in the issuing of directions as to how works of an archaeological nature are to carried out on the approved route. The recent issuing of the statutory directions in this case arose in circumstances where a national monument was discovered during the carrying out of M3 road development subsequent to its approval by An Bord Pleanála, and neither that approval nor the Environmental Impact Statement prepared for the scheme dealt with the newly discovered monument.

I first knew of Minister Roche's directions when I received a text in this chamber on the evening of Thursday 14 June. Neither I norany of my party colleagues had any prior contact with Minister Roche on this issue. On 15 June 2007 following my appointment as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I examined my Department's file in relation to the directions given to the National Roads Authority (NRA) regarding the National Monument discovered at Lismullin, County Meath on the approved route of the M3 motorway. The directions had been made on 12 June 2007.

In issuing directions in this case, the then Minister followed the procedures prescribed under the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004. These included the required consultation with the Director of the National Museum. The advice from both the Director and the Department's Chief Archaeologist indicated that excavation of the National Monument at Lismullin was the preferred archaeological approach in the circumstances of this particular case. Based on this advice the directions issued by the then Minister required the NRA to fully excavate and record the National Monument.

The Act of 2004 also provides that where the Minister has issued directions to a road authority, the road authority shall inform An Bord Pleanála of those directions and of any change to the road development, which it is satisfied is necessitated by the Minister's directions. It is a matter for the road authority to determine if any such changes are necessary as a consequence of such directions.