Salafia drops Supreme Court challenge to M3 motorway

road_high

Glad to see this guy has been cut down to size (somewhat at least!). We need a decent road network in this country- the past should be protected of course but a country is for living in, so we must plan for our future with roads like this for the greater good.
The N3 just can't cope with the traffic on it- look at Navan or Dunshaughlin at rush hour, pure crazy. Work will now proceed swiftly from here I hope.

Salafia drops Supreme Court challenge to M3 motorway

13:43 Tuesday October 3rd 2006


Heritage campaigner Vincent Salafia has agreed to drop his Supreme Court case against the route of the M3 motorway in Co Meath.
Mr Salafia was planning to bring the case to the highest court in the land after having his challenge dismissed by the High Court earlier this year.

However, he has now agreed to drop the action on condition that he will not have to pay the €600,000 costs incurred during the High Court hearing.

The M3 is due to pass alongside the historic Hill of Tara and Mr Salafia had claimed the directions given in relation to archaeological digs along the route were unconstitutional.

Mr Salafia's move to drop his objection clears the way for construction of the road to get underway, but he said it would not be the end of the campaign against the motorway.

He said he had taken the decision on legal advice which said dropping his case would clear the pathway for fresh proceedings to be taken by other people.

Alun

Read the last sentence though ... he's just saving himself €600k, but paving the way for more time-wasting court cases later on by other people.

road_high

Alun wrote:

Read the last sentence though ... he's just saving himself €600k, but paving the way for more time-wasting court cases later on by other people.

I wasn't sure what to make of that sentance- perhaps it's just a kind of idle threat, can't believe there are more lunatics like him out there. Apparently he lives in D4, not Meath, the cheek of him to object to this for so long when people are spending up to 2 hours eacg way stuck commuting on the N3.
I've only used the road a few times but every time I did it was misery. I can really sympathise with those who use it daily.
There are just too many serial-objectors to all progress and development in this country it sickens me they can get away with it. Only ones to gain from this are the fat-cat solicitors and lawyers.

bryanw

I never agreed with Vincent Salafia on the M3, but it turns out he's just like the rest of us - save himself the money instead of fighting it to the end.

He's realised that he won't win in the end...

lostexpectation

he's lucky to get away with not paying everything...

3 problems mfitz

he hasn't delayed the m3 one iota because it was never planned to built yet

it not obligartory for him to live in meath for him to object to this motorway

he wasn't against the motoway going ahead just its route, he would have been happy to see it re-routed not, not built

Archeron

Why the hell is he to get away with paying the court fees? I seriously hope this is not the state cutting a deal with this nutter just to get him to go away and leave state projects alone.

That man should be charged the 600k and use it as an example to other people who think that years of court based environental muppetry is acceptable. As someone else said, the past MUST be protected, but it should not be handled the way this twat did it.

Hobart

It's one of the inherrant problems with living in a democracy. Salafia, and others, would see himself as a figurehead fighting for those without a voice, i.e. The Environmentalist.

In a strange way I believe that he should never have been threathened with a 600+K bill for trying to protect a world heritage site, I would have liked to see the exchequer pick up the bill from the start.

If my memory serves me right, "international experts" have testified in support of his theory that to build a high volume traffic road so close to a world heritage site, would cause some damage over the years.

Whatever about your personal views on Salafia, you have to respect the point that he does have the "right" to question government decisions.If we lived in a country like North Korea, Salafia would be locked up and this argument would not see the light of day. The choice is ours.

D'Peoples Voice

lostexpectation wrote:

he's lucky to get away with not paying everything...

3 problems mfitz

he hasn't delayed the m3 one iota because it was never planned to built yet

it not obligartory for him to live in meath for him to object to this motorway

he wasn't against the motoway going ahead just its route, he would have been happy to see it re-routed not, not built

You forgot to add that he was so concerned about the routing of the motorway that he never turned up for any of presentations the local authority were having on the route nor did he submit any objections at proposal stage. That's why the court threw out his stage and asked him to pay the cost of legal fees. He never engaged with the planners at the planning stage!
I'm against the M3 but I still disagree with this guy, who if memory serves me right, leaves in Churchtown, Dublin 14 not Dublin 4, but he could have moved since.
Trim deserves better! Just look at it's railway & road links! At least Navan will have a rail link worth talking about in 15 years time.

Navan Junction

D'Peoples Voice wrote:

Trim deserves better! Just look at it's railway & road links! At least Navan will have a rail link worth talking about in 15 years time.

TBH, the M3 should have serviced Trim, but the easterly route pulls it away from Trim completely. That was a poor decision as a westerly route would have avoided all this hassle, not been longer than the current route and would have increased traffic on the M3 (and consequently reduced it on local roads). In terms of current roads to trim, The Summerhill/Kilcock reallignment is flying ahead, and the Trim road to the N3 has been upgraded a few times. But that doesn't take from what would have been a more sensible route for the M3. It was never considered in fact.

Re railway, there are no signs that the county is preparing to ensure the railway will perform well in a Cost Benefit Analyses execise. There has been no critical population build up west of Dunshaughlin, or South of Navan to help the case for a rail link.

The Transport 21 website now states that Navan/Dunshaughlin are subject to further studies. The study currently being undertaken will not be delivered until mid-2007 (around/after the election). It will not be enough to bring the rail link to Railway Order stage and will not (crucially) include a CBA which will actually decide if the project will go ahead. So at present there is nothing happening re Navan.

westtip

Navan Junction wrote:

Re railway, there are no signs that the county is preparing to ensure the railway will perform well in a Cost Benefit Analyses execise. There has been no critical population build up west of Dunshaughlin, or South of Navan to help the case for a rail link.

.

Nav, the reason you won't (I fear) get the much needed Navan rail link is partly due to the PPP nature of the M3, you cannot tell me the lobby in the PPP camp havn't stopped it from happening - so commuters have no choice but to jump in their cars. Cost benefit analysis have little to do with it....otherwise why on earth would the WRC still be on agenda - but you know my views on that piece of nonsense.

Navan Junction

westtip wrote:

Cost benefit analysis have little to do with it.

No, well, it hasn't been done there either yet, and what keeps that in a slightly different basket is that the line is sectionalised into different projects, and it is still in IÉ ownership. That means that the criteria for a railway order (where it will apply) is different, and probably of a much more marginal significance..

Victor

mfitzy wrote:

Apparently he lives in D4, not Meath, the cheek of him to object to this for so long when people are spending up to 2 hours eacg way stuck commuting on the N3.

Since when does residence determine whether one is correct of not?

Navan Junction

Victor wrote:

Since when does residence determine whether one is correct of not?

Actually, if i remember he was living in Meath for a few years. Not sure where in Navan, but he was up here..

Victor

Navan Junction wrote:

Actually, if i remember he was living in Meath for a few years. Not sure where in Navan, but he was up here..

Yeah, but I couldn't find it on google.

lostexpectation

D'Peoples Voice wrote:

You forgot to add that he was so concerned about the routing of the motorway that he never turned up for any of presentations the local authority were having on the route nor did he submit any objections at proposal stage. That's why the court threw out his stage and asked him to pay the cost of legal fees. He never engaged with the planners at the planning stage!
I'm against the M3 but I still disagree with this guy, who if memory serves me right, leaves in Churchtown, Dublin 14 not Dublin 4, but he could have moved since.
Trim deserves better! Just look at it's railway & road links! At least Navan will have a rail link worth talking about in 15 years time.

you right there that's why he lost the delay but I don't think he knew , he didn't not bother to turn up, he wasn't aware at the time same with that academic who organising alot now , ? I don't she knew about it until after the hearing... but she got right on it like him.