GLEN DING Wood, Deerpark, in Blessington, Co Wicklow, was originally owned by the Forest Service and was sold in 1992 by the Department of Energy.
The property had been retained by the State because of its substantial sand and gravel reserves and was sold by private treaty for Pounds 1.25 million to Roadstone Dublin Ltd, a subsidiary company of Cement Roadstone Holdings plc.
The company had been quarrying in the surrounding area since 1962. Roadstone had contacted the Department with a view to purchasing this land in 1987.
. May 1989: An archaeological study of part of the Glen Ding area was conducted by Dr Eoin Grogan, of the Discovery Programme, on behalf of the Office of Public Works. He identified the area as one of great historical importance.
. June 1989: Land at Glen Ding Wood assessed by Mr Kiaran O'Malley, civil engineering and town planning consultant, on behalf of the Department of Energy. He valued the land at Pounds 1.5 million.
. April 1990: Mr O'Malley said he was aware of Roadstone's interest in the land, but advised the Department to advertise it for public tender. Six months later he told the Department it was unlikely that any company would match Roadstone Dublin Ltd's offer.
. January 1992: The 147-acre site at Glen Ding Wood was sold by private treaty to, Roadstone Dublin Ltd for Pounds 1.25 million. The Office of Public Works gave clearance for the State to dispose of the site.
. July 1994: Wicklow County Council began an action in the High Court seeking to restrain Roadstone from removing sand and gravel from a section of the site at Glen Ding Roadstone had extracted sand and gravel at this site between 1992 and 1993 based on the opinion that it was an existing quarry and therefore no planning permission was required.
. July 1995: Wicklow County Council amended the draft development plan for the area, originally drawn up in 1994, proposing the rezoning of 80 acres of the land for quarrying.
. November 1995: The OPW said that the Sites and Monuments Area SMR 5:11, located in the 80-acre site, might be removed from the development plan as it had been confirmed it was not an archaeological site.
. March 1996: Following a High Court hearing involving Wicklow County Council and Roadstone, the company agreed to cease quarrying in a section of the 147-acre site until full planning permission had been granted.
. September 1996. The 80 acre site was rezoned by Wicklow County Council, enabling the company to extract gravel and sand.
. November 1996: Roadstone applied to Wicklow County Council to extend its proposed development of Glen Ding and the surrounding area.
. November 1996. Dr Eoin Grogan carried out a second study of the Glen Ding area, following a request from the former minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Michael D. Higgins. He pin-pointed a number of sites of historical interest in a report submitted to the Department the following month.
. February 1997: Mr David Sweetman, chief archaeologist with the National Monuments and Historical Properties Service, told Wicklow County Council in a letter that the site SMR 5:11 had archaeological potential and test excavations should be carried out before any work commenced.