The intense criticism of An Taisce is continuing after the environmental group announced its intention to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court in the case of the Glanbia cheese manufacturing facility in Belview, Co. Kilkenny.
An Taisce said this week that it would attempt to appeal a High Court decision in early July that rejected its challenge to the granting of planning permission for the plant.
Responding to this, the Rural Independent Group of TDs claimed that An Taisce’s decision was part of a “vindictive anti-rural campaign”, adding that appealing the decision was “completely reckless”.
“We are shocked that An Taisce would now seek to appeal the High Court ruling, dismissing their challenge, in respect of the Belview cheese plant, to the supreme court.
“The combined impact of An Taisce’s four consecutive challenges to this project has already resulted in a two year delay to the project,” Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath said.
He claimed: “This again demonstrates a deeply-rooted bias against rural development.
“The fact that this body would continue with such a vindictive campaign, despite being funded by the taxpayer…raises serious questions about the use of public funds,” McGrath added.
The Rural Independent Group is calling on the government to intervene in the situation “without delay”.
“This organisation cannot be allowed to hold rural communities to ransom and potentially use public funds to frustrate, undermine and delay the planning process,” McGrath argued.
He went on to call on the government to ensure that taxpayer’s money was not being used to pay for legal challenges such as this.
The Rural Independent Group is also calling on the government to delist An Taisce as a prescribed organisation – which allows it to give submissions on planning issues – saying it would move a private members motion for that purpose when the Dáil resumes if the government does not.
“Rural communities are already under increasing pressures to survive, as the government prioritises job creation and economic development in our cities instead of rural areas.
“Thus, we cannot allow a government-funded organisation to frustrate the system and endeavour to derail a major job-boosting cheese production facility in the heart of rural Ireland,” McGrath added.