CARRICKMINES CASTLE AND M50

Madam, - Monday's historic Supreme Court decision granting an interlocutory injunction against road-building works at Carrickmines…

Madam, - Monday's historic Supreme Court decision granting an interlocutory injunction against road-building works at Carrickmines Castle has stirred up indignation among some politicians. According to your edition of February 25th, the Fine Gael TD for Dublin South, Ms Olivia Mitchell, is blaming the protesters for the costs which may now accrue to the taxpayer as a result of the suspension of the road works.

Surely this is unfair, to say the least? After all, it wasn't the "Carrickminders" or their supporters who re-routed the M50 interchange through the middle of the castle site; nor were they responsible for ignoring the terms of the National Monuments Act. I agree that something stinks about the situation at Carrickmines. However, I suggest that if Ms Mitchell wants to identify the real cause of the problem, she should turn her attention to proceedings at the Flood Tribunal, in which prominent members of both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are under investigation for matters relating to the route of the road. - Yours, etc.,

Dr DAVID EDWARDS, Department of History, University College, Cork.