A Kerry TD has called on the government to immediately stop state funding for An Taisce following a Supreme Court judgement.
Yesterday (Wednesday, February 16), the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal taken by An Taisce against the proposed Glanbia cheese plant in Co. Kilkenny.
In its legal action, the group said that it had concerns about the planning and approval process for the €140 million development at Belview.
The ruling upheld the decision made in July 2020 by An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for the continental cheese facility.
Glanbia is now aiming to get the plant, which it is developing in partnership with international dairy firm Royal A-ware, into production “as soon as possible”. The company added that the project is of “huge importance” to its over 4,500 suppliers.
An Taisce
Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae welcomed the Supreme Court decision to dismiss An Taisce’s appeal.
The Kerry representative said that the government must now act “to ensure that An Taisce is made face up to its agenda of objections for the sake of objections on all matters”.
Healy-Rae claimed that the body is “entirely anti rural Ireland as well as anti-progress”.
“I am delighted that the long wait is over for these farm families, who now have the chance to improve their livelihoods with such a great facility on their doorstep. It is a good day for farming,” the Kerry TD commented.
“However, due to the constant hold up by An Taisce, this project will now prove to be far more expensive to build due to the cost of inflation than it would have been a few years ago.
“An Taisce will have to answer for this, and I am calling on the government stop state funding for this body with immediate effect.”
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher also welcomed the ruling of the Supreme Court stating that it was “a very important decision for the agri-business sector in the southeast”.
The MEP said: “The repeated attempts by An Taisce to block and derail this really important economic investment in the southeast are finally over.”
“From the outset I have said that the judicial and indeed planning system should not be used to decide national government policy.
“Now that this final hurdle has been overcome, I would urge Glanbia to move on with their plans as quickly as possible. Thousands of dairy farmers across Munster and south Leinster are ready and waiting to provide top quality Irish milk and to support the creation of a significant number of well-paying local jobs,” Kelleher concluded.
An Taisce has stated that it respects the Supreme Court ruling and was heartened that the court had recognised that it had raised important issues regarding the development and consent process involved in the planning process.
In a statement issued yesterday, the group outlined that it “very much supports a just transition to a sustainable system of food production that guarantees a viable agriculture sector in the context of our adaptation to climate change”.