URGENT CALL FROM TARAWATCH
TaraWatch has written the following statement, and is proposing that all groups/individuals sign up to it. URGENT INTERNATIONAL CALL TO SAVE 5000B.C. TARA SITES FROM DESTRUCTION in IRELAND AN URGENT INTERNATIONAL & WORLDWIDE APPEAL IS MADE TO ALL CONCERNED PARTIES ON THE STATUS and FUTURE OF THE HISTORIC TARA in Ireland, the celebratory and burial site of the High Kings, older than the Pyramids and central parts of which are threated with destruction by a new Motorway, with destructive works still going on on a daily basis------- ---- TO DEMAND & CALL on the EU COMMISSION ,BRUSSELS WHO have indicated publicly that Ireland is in BREACH of EU heritage environmental laws affecting TARA and that work there should be suspended and four lane highway through it REROUTED A-- to APPLY to the EU Court for immediate Interim Measures to halt and prevent further destruction and endangerment of heritage sites at TARA in accordance with EU law where this can't be done in Ireland B-- to APPLY to the EU court for a temporary ORDER to allow the presentation and independent examination of an Alternative route & plan from that proposed at Tara C-- to have any motorway REROUTED away from the associated TARA -SKRYNE Valley . The matter is already before the EU Commission since June for consideration ..They were scheduled to issue their Decision on what steps they were to take in EARLY OCTOBER . THE FACTS---- 1-The EU COMMISSION has already demanded work be halted in the area and for the four lane motorway to be rerouted out of the affected Tara Skryne valley. Both calls have been ignored by the current Irish Government who also deny they are in breach of any EU heritage and envionmental laws.The Petitions Committee of the EU who visited the total area on inquiry also called 'for a substantial review of the environmental impact of the M3 and for less INTRUSIVE alternative routes to be designated which would safeguard the area'.This was in an Official Report <30.09.07> of their visit and survey ---- also ignored by the government. 2- The EU COMMISSION in a legal Reasoned Opinion and FINAL WARNING against the Government on June 29 07 called publicly for the work to be halted because the Government is in breach of EU law in the area.THEY SAID that a new independently monitored Environmental Impact Study should be carried out as a result of recent archaeological finds. This is to determine the full nature of these finds currently being destroyed, or threatened with destruction. BOTH Commission calls have been ignored by Government who have fought resolutely against it.. The Commission were scheduled to issue a Decision on the matter in early October to decide what action they should take.THIS URGENT CALL IS MADE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THEM TO MAKE A PROPER DECISION and GET A COURT ORDER from the EU Court. 3-- Eminent archaeologists world wide have indicated clearly over time that the route of the proposed { M3} motorway and extensive ancillary works is over an area which is part of the total Tara complex site , seat of the original High Kings of Ireland and dating in parts to 5000B.C. and older than the Pyramids with multiple cultural mythological and scientific international direct links including astro navigation.They have called for the highway to be rerouted etc..-----ALSO ignored by government. SOME BACKGROUND-- - 4--THIS DEMAND and CALL is made where under the current Irish legal framework, no successful challenge can be made in the Irish Courts to halt these destructive works or for an alternative method and routing. There cannot even be a presentation of an Alternative Route to the M3 for example , and usage in part of an existing local railway link. Such a presentation is prohibited at law in Ireland though in breach of EU law. Even if any Alternative route was able to be shown to be fully valid this could not be taken into account by any authority.This includes the Planning Approvals Boards and the Irish Courts. 5--THE EFFECT of this current Irish system as operated by the Government is that on a practical basis nothing can be done to halt permanently such destructive works and there is no right to make application for examination of an ALTERNATIVE METHOD & ROUTING to reduce road traffic gridlock, arising largely as a result of bad planning but with evidence of land speculation in the area. .This applies back to the original period when such matters and proposals as the present M3 plan were first put foward 'for public consultation' . No proper alternative proposals on routing or type was allowed then and none are allowed now, and at Irish law it is not possible to make court application for same as it is strictly illegal at Irish law, but nevertheless a breach of EU law by the State. 6--The current Government likewise have resolutely refused to admit that they are in breach of EU law in any area and the local {Meath> County Council have indicated that they will not change the current plan.They also deny there is anything wrong with it or what is occurring or threatened. In some cases they have gone in with bulldozers and JCBs and destroyed locations... ......... ...one extensive one at Baronstown at 4 am in the morning when no one was there.See ATTACHMENT and LINKS PIC. 7--The Petitions Committee of the EU in their Inquiry Report said they were 'PERPLEXED by the choice of route and by the damage done to the integrity of many sites in the Tara area and the Gabhra Valley. ' Among the sites they mentioned was BARONSTOWN which was detroyed at 4 am one morning by bulldozers and JCBs etc. The Committee of MEPs also said that they were 'concerned as to why it has been deemed necessary to build one of the largest M3 INTERSECTIONS precisely at this most vulnerable location in terms of Ireland's national heritage, which destroys forever the intact archaelogical landscape of the area'.. , They called for 'less intrusive alternatives to be designated'. They roundly criticised the Irish authorities for having so much emphasis on road infrastructure and 'so little on developing an efficient and more substainable rail network for passengers and freight' WORLD ACADEMICS' CALL--- 8-- Nearly four hundred academics from countries in north America, Europe Russia, the Middle and Far East including Japan and Australia in a formal statement* said--"to deny the wider landscape beyond the Hill of Tara deduced from Ireland's extensive medieval, historical and literary sources..... .......amounts to either ignorance or wilful disinformation' They ALSO called on the Government to reverse the decision to route the M3 through the TARA Skyrne valley.This was in 2006. ALSO ignored by arrogant government and its agents. 9-- Those who can generally support this DEMAND & CALL today on the EU Commission as a close to LAST RESORT , make it clear that the PURPOSE OF THIS EXCERCISE and CALL on the EU Commission Brussels, to forcibly step in and get a COURT ORDER from the EU Court is not to HALT, PREVENT or DELAY measures to remove road traffic gridlock but to HALT the destructive work and have an immediate examination of a full Alternative route in accordance with EU law. This relates to proper usage of some existing resources originally excluded from consideration. This was in terms of prohbition of any real Alternative being allowed to be put forward or considered, eg a disused rail link. There is currently no right at Irish law to put forward an ALTERNATIVE PLAN --contrary to EU law. This is part of the reason for the DEMAND and CALL on the EU Commission.as that situation will still subsist. WORLD HERITAGE SITE---- 10--The TARA COMPLEX has been designated a World Heritage site and is on a list of 100 such sites worldwide. There is a view that if the EU Commission do not do what it is called upon to do by applying to the EU COURT for interim halting measures and independent immediate examination of an alternative which it has a right and duty to do and in terms where it can be a FACILITATOR to change the current situation, then it will be said 'no one could do anything to stop it'. The situation would then be like a Leaning Tower of Pisa which no one could stop falling over as it destoyed itself. Such a system would then be in full disrepute. in Ireland and at EU level. 11-- One effect of this would be to have a possible 'last ditch' legal application to declare some of the Irish laws which assist in bringing this total situation about as being unconstitutional and separately , contrary to EU law. If done this would only cause further extensive DELAY and would not CHANGE the Irish legal framework which prohibits the putting forward of a proper or any Alternative to what is in train.It would be the only cause of action left open to objectors other than a possible extensive occupation to prevent further terminal destruction of the locations and area. THE EU COMMISSION CAN DO IT------ 12--What is urgently called for and ACHIEVEABLE in a short time frame is suspension of the destructive work, endangerment of the sites, and immediate consideration of an Alternative Method and Routing. This is considered to be relatively easy as it was from the beginning and at possibly very much reduced cost to the Irish taxpayer.where the EU C ommission may have grant aided the current plan unwittingly. . Supporters of this DEMAND & CALL are calling on the EU COMMISSION to facilitate this where no one can do anything in Ireland in practical terms to bring such a situation about and for the EU COMMISSION which has overall responsiblilty for EU wide Environmental and Heritage Protection law, to do this on 'an immediate and practical basis having immediate practical everyday effect'.. As the legal advice is that no similar practical applications can be brought to an Irish court to achieve the same result as it is prohibited at Irish law, the only alternative then would be an extensive possible occupation of the areas affected as a last but early resort.Such a thing should not have to be threatened on a workable democratic standard, and it is considered to be disgraceful that such a situation exists bringing it about.IT IS NOW MORE THAN THREE MONTHS SINCE THE EU COMMISSION ISSUED ITS FORMAL OPINION & 'FINAL WARNING' THAT THE WORKS WERE ILLEGAL AND CALLING FOR THEM TO BE HALTED and FOR THE HIGHWAY TO BE REROUTED etc.DESTRUCTIVE WORKS HAVE CONTINUED SINCE THAT DATE AND ARE STILL CONTINUING IN APPALLING CIRCUMSTANCES of DESTRUCTION. ANY ACTION TO TAKE--- The EASIEST and QUICKEST one is to 'PASS THIS MESSAGE ON' immediately you have read it to anyone who is concerned inclusive of full e mail lists..THIS INCLUDES Local Newpapers, Radio Stations etc. and TELL THEM TO TALK ABOUT THE DEMAND AND CALL.If any one wants to place peaceful non obstructive pickets in various locations to highlight the situation this is something they might consider.