Archaeological Sites.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2005

Tuesday, 1 February 2005

Questions (328, 329, 330)

Trevor Sargent

Question:

330 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has taken steps to implement the recommendation of the European Commission following its examination of the environmental impact assessment of the Carrickmines M50 motorway; that to ensure the fullest involvement possible of the wider archaeological community in environmental impact assessment procedures, all environmental impact assessments be made available on the internet and if so the date of implementation. [2385/05]

Trevor Sargent

Question:

331 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has taken steps to implement the recommendation of the European Commission following its examination of the environmental impact assessment of the Carrickmines M50 motorway; that an adequate risk management and contingency approach to all impacts, including when appropriate, provision for further proactive investigation, such as trial trenching be adopted during the environmental impact assessment process to reduce uncertainties and to allow for design flexibility. [2386/05]

Trevor Sargent

Question:

332 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has taken steps to implement the recommendation of the European Commission following its examination of the environmental impact assessment of the Carrickmines M50 motorway; that when a project involves possible multiple archaeological impacts, there be an assessment of the relative significance of the sites affected so that decision-makers are alerted to likely hot spots. [2387/05]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 to 332, inclusive, together.

The question refers to a complaint that was registered with the European Commission concerning the construction of the south-east motorway at Carrickmines, County Dublin. While my Department has been consulted by, and has submitted observations to, the Commission concerning a report conducted on its behalf into issues relating to the complaint, we have not received any recommendations from the Commission in this regard, nor has my Department had sight of the original complaint.