07/01/2004

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

Cullen welcomes High Court Ruling on M50 Motorway

Martin Cullen TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government has welcomed today's (6th January, 2004) High Court ruling to facilitate continued development of the South Eastern Motorway (M50).

In July 2003, Minister Cullen gave approval to a joint consent with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for specified works at Carrickmines. This was intended to facilitate continuation of the South Eastern Motorway.

The High Court upheld the Minister's right to make an order in the public interest under Section 14 of the National Monuments Acts.

Minister Cullen said: "The decision I took last July was based on my overall assessment that allowing construction of the South Eastern Motorway along its approved route was in the public interest.

"The implications of continued delay or non-completion of the M50 to the taxpayer, the country's infrastructure and economic activity are serious", he said.

The Minister recognised the contribution of archaeological excavations at Carrickmines to enhancing the national archaeological record. Excavations carried out at the site since August 2000 have involved as many as 130 archaeologists at an estimated cost of €6 million.

"The consent is now there to get on with the delivery of this major piece of national infrastructure for the public benefit", Cullen concluded.