The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has described the decision by An Taisce to seek leave to appeal the High Court ruling on the proposed Glanbia Belview plant in Co. Kilkenny to the Supreme Court, as “regrettable and a clear-cut a case of agency overreach”.
President of the association, Pat McCormack said that several agencies had already looked at the Belview proposal and judged it possible to go ahead, in accordance with the programme for transitioning the dairy sector to a more sustainable basis.
McCormack added that the implication in the decision to seek leave to appeal the High Court ruling was “that none of those other agencies or bodies understood the challenge or their remits to the same degree that An Taisce did”.
He said that with all due respect, ICMSA could not accept that.
High Court ruling in An Taisce case
In the lengthy judgement in July, An Taisce’s application for judicial review of planning permission for Glanbia’s proposed cheese manufacturing facility was dismissed by Justice Richard Humphreys.
However, today (Monday, August 9), An Taisce said that its Board of Trustees has unanimously agreed to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court in respect of the recent decision.
An Taisce said that its decision is “based on a considered analysis of the legal aspects of the case and is rooted in the principles and values central to the mission and role of An Taisce – to protect and advocate for ecological resilience and the future viability of the natural environment”.
The continental cheese production facility planned for Belview is a joint venture between Glanbia Ireland and international dairy firm, Royal A-ware.
McCormack said that everyone had to work within the parameters of a national strategy that was already underway, and had to be given time to work.
He concluded by saying that the Belview proposal is a progressive sustainable proposal, and it should be allowed to proceed as soon as possible.
An Taisce disagrees however and said “the implications of such expansion for the health of our essential ecosystems and the consequences for Irish rural communities are enormous and irreversible”.