Reaction to today's ruling on the Carrickmines section of the M50 motorway was swift with the Green Party's Ciarán Cuffe calling on the Minister for the Environment, Mr Martin Cullen TD, to ensure that the damage that will be caused to Carrickmines Castle by the construction of the motorway is kept to a minimum.
Mr Cuffe's comments came in the wake of this evening's High Court ruling on the completion of the south Dublin portion of the M50 at Carrickmines Castle.
Fine Gael's Dublin South TD Olivia Mitchell welcomed the decision and called on the "objectors" to "accept that they have taken this case beyond what is either reasonable or defensible."
She continued that the "overwhelming balance of public interest lies now with the rapid completion of a vital piece of our infrastructure which has already cost the taxpayer far in excess of what was necessary."
The High Court ruled against the constitutional challenge to the south Dublin portion of the M50 at Carrickmines Castle taken by Dublin conservationist Mr Dominic Dunne, ruling against each of the three arguments presented by the plaintiff at the High Court.
Mr Cuffe said the planning of the M50 junction at Carrickmines was flawed from the start and claimed that "from mysterious land deals to inexplicable design changes this has been a fiasco from the outset."
He also condemned the National Monuments Act as a "flawed act." He said it had been "rushed" through the Dáil and contained "a dangerous consolidation of power into the hands of the Minister whilch he claimed allowed him to "act as judge, jury and executioner of our heritage."
Mr Cuffe said the Green Party hoped the legislation would not be used by Minister Cullen to build other projects "at the expense of our heritage."
Deputy Cuffe also said he hoped Mr Dunne would not be pursued for costs as the case "was a public interest case."