A new High Court action that aims to protect 2,000 year-old ruins discovered at Lismullin near the Hill of Tara is to be taken today.
The semicircular enclosure at Lismullin, about four miles south of Navan on the existing N3, lies across the northbound lane of the controversial new M3 motorway. It is 80 metres in diameter, dates from between 380BC and 520BC, and may be some kind of ceremonial site.
The new action is being taken by Gordon Lucas, a resident of Limerick, who is seeking to enforce EU environmental impact assessment directives and the European Convention on Human Rights.
He is seeking an injunction, and a declaration that the National Monuments Act 2004 is in breach of EU law.
The Tarawatch campaign group, which is demanding that the site be preserved, said the case is being taken as a last resort, after the Government opted not to perform a new environmental impact assessment on the proposed demolition of the Lismullin national monument.
Expert evidence will also argue that Lismullin is a central part of the archaeological complex associated with the Hill of Tara, which was placed on the 2008 List of 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund.
"This is a parallel case to the case being taken against Ireland by the European Commission, which states the Irish Government is in breach of EU law," said Vincent Salafia of Tarawatch.
