Archaeological treasures being 'left exposed in open-air sites'

The Roads Authority says it expects to spend €300m on archaeological digs over the life span of Transport 21.

"It's like a conveyor belt at the moment, it won't stop. The museum is even telling archaeologists not to give them any more material," said the Fine Gael Deputy.

"We have a wealth of knowledge lying in an undocumented heap exposed to the elements or buried in an Indiana Jones-like crypt in. It really is appalling. People are on their hands and knees picking material out of sites and then it's being dumped in a heap."