Vincent Salafia

Vincent Salafia is an Irish national who studied law in Florida. Salafia took legal action, in a personal capacity, against Mr.Dick Roche, Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government; the Attorney General of Ireland; Meath County Council; and the National Roads Authority over the M3 motorway and the Hill of Tara, seat of the ancient High Kings of Ireland. Salafia lost and faced [http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0315/salafiav.html a legal bill of €600,000] . In October 2006 Salafia agreed to drop his Supreme Court challenge in exchange for the state not pursuing him for the legal costs, which will be paid by the Irish taxpayer [http://www.unison.ie/breakingnews/index.php3?ca=9&si=99349] . The route was opposed by The Discovery Programme, The Heritage Council and the Archaeological Institute of America.

Mr. Salafia was born in Ireland, grew up in County Wicklow, was educated at Newbridge College, Co. Kildare and emigrated to the United States in 1983. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Saint Leo University and a Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University. He passed the Florida Bar examination in 1997. He was a candidate for nomination in the 2004 election of the President of Ireland, but did not receive the nomination. Mr. Salafia is currently an LL.M. candidate in the School of Law Trinity College Dublin.

Brehon Law Project

In 2000 he returned to Ireland and founded the Brehon Law Project, to promote academic study into early Irish law or 'Brehon Law'. He held three symposia in Blackhall Place, King's Inns and Trinity College Dublin.

Carrickmines Castle

In 2002 Mr. Salafia became a spokesperson for a group called Carrickminders, which engaged in a campaign to preserve the remains of Carrickmines Castle, an Anglo-Norman fort built in the 12th Century on the edge of the Pale. An occupation lasting 6 months led to the declaration that Carrickmines Castle was a National Monument and granting of a Supreme Court injunction that postponed the completion of the M50 motorway for two years. The Government refused to reroute the motorway and facilitated its construction by passing the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004.

Hill of Tara / M3 motorway

Salafia undertook judicial review of the decision of the Minister to give directions, under the National Monuments Act 2004, to proceed with excavations of 38 sites between Navan and Dunshaughlin along the pathway of the M3 motorway. On March 1 2006, Mr Justice Thomas Smyth ruled against Mr Salafia in the High Court. Salafia faced [http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0315/salafiav.html a legal bill of €600,000] . In October 2006 Salafia agreed to drop his Supreme Court challenge in exchange for the state not pursuing him for the legal costs, which will be paid by the Irish taxpayer [http://www.unison.ie/breakingnews/index.php3?ca=9&si=99349] .

The National Roads Authority have claimed that his objections have cost the taxpayers of Ireland millions of Euro, with the delays costing €1 million per week [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2006/0515/1768001737HMM3.html] . He has also been accused by the National Roads Authority of "endangering the public" because the new motorway will separate traffic and save lives. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1785481,00.html] Salafia has denied these claims both in court and in the media.

References

* Leonard, Dr. Liam, "Green Nation: the Irish Environmental Movement from Carnsore Point to the Rossport 5" Choice Publishing (2006) ISBN 1-905451-11-3 Chapter 12 (seeking page numbers)

External links

Brehon Law Project
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fenechas/ Brehon Law Project - Email discussion list and archive]
* [http://www.ucc.ie/law/irishlaw/events/brehonlaw_jan12142001.shtml Symposium I - Blackhall Place, Dublin 2001]
* [http://www.ucc.ie/law/irishlaw/events/brehon_jan2002.shtml Symposium II - King's Inns & Mansion House, Dublin 2002]
* [http://www.ucc.ie/law/irishlaw/events/brehsympjan03.shtml Symposium III - Trinity College & Royal Irish Academy, Dublin 2003]

Carrickmines Castle - M50 motorway
* [http://www.courts.ie/judgments.nsf/23fd4a34bad801d980256ec50047a0a8/272be35de1b344ec80256cd7003f4dfe?OpenDocument Carrickmines Castle I: Supreme Court 2003]
* [http://www.courts.ie/judgments.nsf/23fd4a34bad801d980256ec50047a0a8/c3e6d4ddb10571f580256e3000438d66?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,carrickmines Carrickmines Castle II: Supreme Court 2004]
* [http://www.courts.ie/judgments.nsf/23fd4a34bad801d980256ec50047a0a8/1345c338fdda735d802570c9004b074c?OpenDocument Carrickmines Castle III: High Court 2005 - awaiting Supreme Court ruling]

Hill of Tara - M3 motorway
* [http://www.hilloftara.info Official litigation website]
* [http://www.tarawatch.org TaraWatch campaign group]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taralitigation News archive]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hilloftara/ TaraWatch email discussion]

Media Reports
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1785481,00.html The Guardian: 'Land of High Kings is battlefield for fight between heritage and growth']
* [http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0315/salafiav.html M3 campaigner facing €600,000 bill]
* [http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0112/m3.html RTE News: Challenge to M3 begins in High Court]
* [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0704/M3.html RTE News: Leave is given in motorway challenge]
* [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2005/0331/3585315857HM1TARA.html Irish Times: Minister to press ahead with Tara route for motorway]
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1076/is_3_47/ai_n13648632 Environment Magazine - 'Next left: high kings, pagan overthrow' April 2005]
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27671-2005Jan21.html Washington Post. 'In Ireland, Commuters vs. Kings' 01-22-05]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1279700_1,00.html Sunday Times: Theron Brushes up on the Hill of Tara]