‘Reprehensible abuse of the planning system’ – farmers hit out at court appeal against €140m Kilkenny factory

Farming leaders have hit at at An Taisce’s decision to appeal a High Court decision in favour of a €140 million cheese manufacturing plant in county Kilkenny.

Irish Farmers Association (IFA) President Tim Cullinan said the State enivonrmental group has a number of questions to answer following their decision to lodge another appeal to the planning permission for the Glanbia cheese plant at Belview in the Port of Waterford.

Speaking on bahalf of IFA members, Mr Cullinane asked: “Why won’t An Taisce accept decisions of the statutory planning appeals body An Bord Pleanala? Or our High Court?

“As they point out, An Taisce is a prescribed body for certain planning matters under the Planning Acts.

“This means that they are required to be notified of certain planning applications. The same Planning Acts that grant them this status has Bord Pleanala as the planning appeals body.

“Yet An Taisce won’t accept their decisions. It must be emphasised that the Judicial Review which An Taisce lost was not against Glanbia, it was against Bord Pleanala. Now they won’t accept a decision of the High Court.”

Mr Cullinane hit out at An Taisce’s claim that they have “no choice” but to bring an appeal because they want to raise “points of law”.

He added: “This is nonsense as it goes way beyond their remit as a prescribed body. Furthermore, the judge in the High Court case says that it was clear that An Taisce’s real issue is with Government policy.

“An Taisce has now lost their case three times, but it’s clear their strategy is designed to keep appealing until the project runs out of time.

“This is a reprehensible abuse of the planning system, their position as a prescribed body and the court system. It must be remembered that the people impacted here will be farmers and their families,” Mr Cullinane concluded.