The Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen, has said he will announce within two weeks, a decision on the future of a newly discovered Viking settlement near Waterford.
Speaking in Waterford at an informal meeting of EU environment ministers, Mr Cullen said the 9th Century remains, found in the path of a proposed ring road, were quite extraordinary.
The director of the national museum, Dr Pat Wallace, has called for the site to be excavated fully.
However, the National Roads Authority has proposed that the ring road be built on top of it.
Earlier, delegates from the 25 EU member states were welcomed to the talks in Waterford by Alderman Tom Cunningham.
The three hours of talks were to focus on the issue of waste management and, in particular, the illegal transport of waste across borders.
A report published by the Environmental Protection Agency earlier this week found that while Ireland had exceeded its recycling targets, the amount of rubbish we generate is actually increasing.
Environmentalists from across Europe have also gathered in Waterford for an alternative summit and series of public meetings under the slogan 'People and Planet Before Profit: Another Europe Is Possible'.
