The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has said that “no national funding can be used for any challenges that An Taisce or anyone else takes”.
The minister has been speaking to Agriland during a trade mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which comes to a conclusion today (Friday, February 18).
His comments come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s dismissal this week of an appeal taken by An Taisce against planning permission granted for the contentious €140 million Glanbia cheese plant in Belview, Co. Kilkenny.
It is expected that the cheese plant will have a production capacity of 450 million litres of milk per annum.
Supreme Court decision on An Taisce challenge
The agriculture minister told Agriland that he welcomes the decision by the Supreme Court which now paves the way for the Kilkenny project to get underway.
“It’s a really important investment. It is unfortunate that it has had the experience and the delays that it has incurred but I look forward now to seeing it proceed and be of great benefit to their suppliers and indeed an addition to our dairy sector nationally,” the minister said.
“No national funding can be used for any challenges that An Taisce or anyone else takes. It is forbidden and cannot be allowed and is not allowed.
“Obviously the opportunity is there for anyone in society to challenge something that is happening, but as government we want to, as well, ensure that the systems are reviewed to try and ensure that there is certainty around timelines and more efficiency around timelines,” he added.
Review of planning process
The minister emphasised that the government is undertaking a review across the planning regulation system to see how it can be streamlined and made more efficient.
He said that is being done “so we don’t have situations where projects can be delayed for years and impact on investment”.
The appeal by An Taisce cited concerns over how the planning and approval process for the Glanbia Belview plant was undertaken.
This long-running affair began when An Taisce raised objections to the proposed plant with An Bord Pleanála, which the planning authority rejected.
The environmental group was granted leave to appeal to the Supreme Court last September, after the High Court’s decision to dismiss its challenge against An Bord Pleanála’s grant of planning permission.
Funding
In the wake of the Supreme Court decision this week, Independent TD, Michael Healy-Rae called on the government to immediately stop state funding for An Taisce.
He claimed that the body is “entirely anti rural Ireland as well as anti progress”.
An Taisce has said that it made the appeal in the belief that the tests and structures in place in relation to granting permission were insufficient.