Public Consultation for UNESCO World Heritage List

'Public Consultation for Tentative UNESCO World Heritage List Ends Tomorrow'

The public consultation period for public comment on the proposed Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ireland ends tomorrow. The proposed list was published on 2 November by Minister for the Environment John Gormley and includes the Hill of Tara as part of a group of sites entitled 'Royal Sites of Ireland'.

Today, TaraWatch submitted their comment in which they support the nomination, but only on condition that the Minister immediately engage with UNESCO and initiate an Action Plan to mitigate the damage caused to the site by the M3 motorway.

The Minister initiated the public consultation in 2008, and promised to submit the List in 2009. However, instead the Minister published the List a second time, held a second public consultation, and delayed submission of the List until 2010.

The TaraWatch submission states that the Minister is in breach of Irish and EU law, human rights law, as well as the UNESCO Convention itself, by failing to take any meaningful action to protect the site.

Vincent Salafia of TaraWatch said:

"We support the nomination of the Hill of Tara to the UNESCO List, but only on condition that there is an Action Plan put in place immediately, to mitigate the damage caused by the M3 motorway.

"The Minister's failure use his statutory powers to take decisive action to protect the Hill of Tara, since he came into office in 2007, is a breach of Irish, EU and international law, as well as of the human rights of present and future generations.

ENDS

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