An Taisce considers further legal action to block €140m Kilkenny cheese plant

Kilkenny-based food giant Glanbia Ireland has welcomed the High Court decision to dismiss an application from An Taisce which tried to block the construction of a €140 million cheese production facility in the south of the county.

The independent environmental body is now considering whether or not to take further legal action to halt the development.

In a statement, Glanbia said: “Glanbia Ireland welcomes the decision of the High Court to uphold the decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for its new continental cheese processing plant at Belview.

“The new plant, which is to be developed under a joint venture agreement with our Dutch partner Royal A-Ware, is a vital Brexit diversification measure and is important for rural Ireland and for Ireland’s dairy sector as a whole,” the statement concluded.

An Taisce said it is considering the judgment “to determine if there are grounds which warrant an application for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal or for an application to the Supreme Court”.

An Taisce Natural Environment Officer, Dr Elaine McGoff, said: “In this case the judge did not find in our favour, but this does not alter the validity of our concerns.

“Ultimately this was not a case taken against farmers – it was a case taken for our environment and the future viability of Irish farming which is currently endangered by planning decisions that are not compliant with our environmental legal obligations,” Dr McGoff added.