20
July
2008
” The Navan to Dublin railway project looks to be dead in the water after it was revealed that one of two key bridges along the M3 protecting the route is not being built.
Site visits by the Meath Post to both locations at Pace (Dunboyne) and Cannistown (Navan) has revealed that whilst the bridge protecting the railway at Dunboyne is being constructed, the bridge south of Navan is not, and the M3 is now being built directly across the railway alignment.
News of this missing bridge and its impact on the Navan Dublin railway project is likely to be met with anger by Meath’s commuters.
However Iarnród Éireann claim that the NRA have factored in the problem and will build embankments to allow the railway to go ahead.
During the planning process for the M3 in 2003, concerns were raised by Iarnród Éireann that reopening of the Navan Dublin railway would be made too costly if M3 planners were allowed cut the former railway line in two by running the M3 through it without first building a bridge.
Local railway campaigners, using information from Iarnród Éireann, succeeded in obtaining the insertion of two railway bridges in the M3 plans to protect efforts to reopen the railway.
Under order of An Bord Pleanála, Meath County Council drew up plans for one bridge at Dunboyne to protect the former railway line, and another at Cannistown just south of Navan.
As recently as 2006, Meath County Council planning office insisted that both bridge plans remained on file and that the Navan Dublin railway line was being protected.
An Bord Pleanála’s ruling stated that a bridge to allow the railway pass beneath the M3 similar to the Dunboyne bridge should be constructed at Cannistown. The instruction was that unless Iarnród Éireann indicated that they intended following a new rail route for at this section then the bridge as designed should be inserted.
To run the line over the motorway would take an enormous effort and massive cost, with a 26 foot embankment required to run for kilometres on either side of the M3 to allow the railway pass above the motorway.
As late as last month, Iarnród Éireann indicated that this section of the former line was being retained, but the evidence in this photograph shows this has not happened.
Despite this, a spokeswoman told the Meath Post that the NRA are aware of their responsibilities.
“The (the NRA) are going to make provision and embankments will be built that will allow the railway to go ahead”. ”
Source:
Meath Post, 12th. July 2008
Article found at Savetara:
http://www.savetara.com/articles/2008/071208_dead.html
Claire 
Heritage, Land Rezoning, Railways, Roads Programme, Tara / Skryne Valley 
No Comments »
18
July
2008
CIÉ says it will gain around €1m from new pay and display parking charges at 37 stations on the greater Dublin rail network.
A spokesman for Irish Rail stated that the revenue it collects from commuters will be reinvested in parking spaces.
Most of the money collected from these will go to CIÉ with servivce provider Nationwide Controlled Parking Systems receiving a percentage for managing the car parks.
The stations affected are on lines from Athlone and Longford including the stations on the Portlaoise and Coolmine Arrow routes, the Dundalk line, the Dart routes, the Arklow and Gorey lines.
Contracting out or competitive tendering. Government departments or enterprises have always used private contractors but the scale of this practice has been radically increased.
A big element of privatisation is the radical extension of the “user pays” principle. State utilities have always charged for the provision of water, power, transport and so on, but both the scale and scope of such charges are being dramatically enlarged. Australians, for example, are now increasingly being charged for their education (in one way or another) and also for the disposal of their sewage; many local councils are nerving themselves to impose charges for withdrawing library books.
Sources:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0717/rail.html
http://www.greenleft.org.au/1995/201/11264
Claire Natural Resources, Railways No Comments »
17
July
2008
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has officially conformed that funds which have previously been allocated for road-building projects has been ringfenced, despite the widespread savings cuts announced by the Government last week as a result of the sudden economic downturn resulting in revised estimates for economic growth.
At the opening yesterday of the new €280 million N6 Kilbeggan- Athlone dual carriageway in Co Westmeath, the Minister said the Government had given a commitment to:
“…finish all the motorways by 2010. That commitment stands and will stand.
“Obviously the economic circumstances have to be taken into account on an annual basis, but we have a programme of works that the National Roads Authority [NRA] has initiated. They have the plans in place and the finances have been made available.”
The NRA claims that motorists travelling between Dublin and Galway will save 45 minutes on due to the opening of the new scheme.
Mr Dempsey made the usual claim that the completion of the 29km stretch of road on the east-west axis was delivered on budget and on time. It is anticipated that up to 13,000 vehicles a day will use the new route, which has been under construction since May 2006.
The scheme will bypass Kilbeggan, Horseleap and traffic blackspot Moate. It was funded by the Government under the National Development Plan and part-financed by the European Union.
NRA chairman Peter Malone said the additional infrastructure meant drivers could “travel all the way from Dublin to west of Athlone on 114km of continuous motorway or dual carriageway”.
The entire major inter-urban route from Galway to Dublin will be finished by 2010, but will be funded by a toll on the N6 route between Galway and Ballinasloe close to Cappataggle village.
In addition, Minister Dempsey defended the toll system, saying people had an alternative to using tolls and that the money generated was vital for future road projects.
“There is no question of reviewing any toll schemes or reviewing the policy in relation to tolls.”
Westmeath County council cathaoirleach Joe Whelan said the Kilbeggan- Athlone carriageway was another “step in bringing the midlands and the west closer to the capital”.
A projected current budget surplus (before capital spending is taken into account) of €4.7 billion this year has been revised; it now seems unlikely that there will be a current surplus. It is unlikely that there will be one next year. The tax shortfall is estimated at three billion euro for this year. This will be made up largely from borrowing, though the cuts and savings announced by the Government are expected to save half a billion euro in 2008 and another billion euro in 2009.
The government had intended to spend almost €9 billion on capital expenditure under the National Development Plan in 2009, funded largely by a budget surplus of more than €5 billion. With the disappearing surplus, much of that capital spending is now in doubt.
Source:
© 2008 The Irish Times
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0717/1216073186219.html
http://www.thepost.ie/breakingnews/breaking_sport.asp
Claire Land Rezoning, Roads Programme No Comments »
9
July
2008
A UNESCO report on State management of the world heritage site at Skellig Michael off the Kerry coast has found that conservation works have “dramatically altered” the appearance of surviving remains on its South Peak.
However, the 6th century monastic outpost will still retain its “outstanding universal values” intact if the conservation work is documented in an academic publication, the Unesco mission report has found.
The report, due to be released today by the Unesco World Heritage Committee in Quebec, Canada, has been welcomed by Minister for the Environment John Gormley. The first 10-year management plan for Skellig Michael is being published today.
Read the rest of this entry »
Claire Archaeology, Heritage No Comments »
6
July
2008
The main archaeologist in charge of conservation work on Skellig Michael (Sceilig Mhícíl) has denied that any changes have been made or damage done to monastic structures on the island. On RTÉ’s “Nationwide”, OPW archaeologist Grellan Rourke stated that “all the work we’ve done…is excavation and just trying to hold what’s there. We have taken nothing original away, all we’re trying to do is just hold what’s here for future generations.” Read the rest of this entry »
Claire Uncategorized No Comments »
5
July
2008
” Rath Maeve, M.143, is a large circular rath and a protected national monument close to Tara. It was the mythological home of Maeve, the old earth goddess and consort of successive kings of Tara. As such it has a central place in our heritage and should be afforded all the respect and care it deserves. However yesterday when we visited it we were shocked to see that the entire rath has been planted with Kale. This involved it been ploughed up, planted and it is to be expected, later harvested. Kale is a deep growing vegetable with a long tap root. The harvesting will entail soil disturbance to a dept of at least half a metre. As far as we know no archeologically investigation has taken place on Rath Maeve and no archaeologist was present at the ploughing so priceless items belonging to our history and heritage could have been removed or destroyed. It is known and accepted that this happened in the past and much of what was of value under our soil was destroyed or carried away. That this is again happening today and under a green environment minister beggars belief.“
See the rest of this article at:
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/88213
John Farrelly - Independent Tara Campaigner Wed Jul 02, 2008
Claire Archaeology, Heritage, Land Rezoning, Tara / Skryne Valley No Comments »
4
July
2008
The new Tara Foundation blog, containing all previous entries, is at http://thetarafoundation.wordpress.com. If you wish to comment on something you see here, please go to the corresponding entry on the new blog.
Claire Uncategorized No Comments »
23
June
2008
The fuel crisis facing fishermen across Europe will dominate the agenda when EU fisheries ministers meet in Luxembourg later today.
Read the rest of this entry »
Claire EU, Marine, Natural Resources No Comments »
10
June
2008
Irish Government asked for discretion on new French plans for European defence.
A “confidential” of the Barber dated from May 21st states that ” the white book on defence and security, which defines the big strategical orientations of France for next fifteen years, will not be made public before June 12th “.
The plan of the White Book the parliamentarians in France can consult the copy, is classified in effect ” confidential defence “.
Read the rest of this entry »
Claire Lisbon Treaty No Comments »
5
June
2008
American political analyst Kevin Phillips states that successive US administrations have undermined the economy by constant de-regulation. These include unparalleled credit card debts, the expansion of financial industries such as hedge funds, ballooning national debts, and deliberately altering statistics like inflation and unemployment to mask the accurate picture. Phillips has written a new book entitled: Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism.
Read the rest of this entry »
Claire Uncategorized No Comments »
