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The Green Party will take a strong stand to prevent Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Ministers from applying pressure on An Taisce to withdraw an appeal against a €140 million cheese manufacturing plant in Co Kilkenny.
The Greens have also strongly objected to rural Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs calling for State funding to be withdrawn from the national trust, which has a role in the planning process in terms of environmental protection.
Party sources say leader Eamon Ryan is likely to speak to Taoiseach Micheál Martin over his comments in the Dáil yesterday, where he said the appeal against the plant - a joint venture between Glanbia and Dutch cheesemakers Royal A-Ware - should be withdrawn.
It comes as the Minister for State with responsibility for built heritage and national parks, Patrick O’Dononvan, launched a scathing attack on An Taisce.
Mr O’Donovan said that for An Taisce to fly in the face of a High Court decision and use public money for its appeal was very “shabby”.
Speaking on Limerick radio station 95FM, Mr O’Donovan criticised what he described as “serial ojbectors” with no connection with the areas in which developments are going ahead.
Roll into town
“We have people not from particular communities who just roll into town and object. We have to deal with this issue,” he said.
He said there was an “objectors charter” in Ireland at the moment.
“No matter where you come from or no matter where your position in society is, you can object to a person’s application for a house or a dairy plant.
Mr O’Donovan also said a “Kerry slug” was holding up a flood relief scheme in Inchageelagh and Ballyvourney, Co Cork.
“This is the sort of thing we have to call time on,” he said.
Stephen Matthews, the Greens Party TD chairs the Oireachtas housing committee, defended An Taisce’s right to appeal and criticised the “pile-on” from TDs from Government parties and Independents, saying it was not just the Taoiseach who was intervening.
“I think we have a very good planning system and legal system. It is open and democratic and participative,” he said.
“People have a right to appeal. They should be allowed to carry out that process. An Taisce has been doing really good work up and down the country for many years. If they believe this case should be appealed and believe the assessment is flawed on scientific and environmental grounds, they have that right.”
Last weekend, four of Mr O’Donovan’s colleagues called for State funding to be withdrawn from An Taisce in this area.
“The Government must now look again at An Taisce being funded by the taxpayer, its consistent opposition to government policy and possibly their special status under the planning acts,” they said in a Statement.
Planning permission for the Dutch-style cheese plant and other works at Belview Science and Technology Park, Gorteens, Slieverue, Co Kilkenny, was granted by An Bord Pleanála in June 2019, when it was hoped that it could become operational by the end of 2022.
‘Perilous state’
An Taisce has defended its right to object saying it has a “fundamental concern for how this specific development will add to the perilous state of Ireland’s carbon and pollution footprint”.
“Dairy production, and the supporting chain of industrial activity and animal husbandry, is a substantial contributor to Ireland already breaching key European metrics for emissions and environmental controls,” it said.
“Ireland is required to reduce environmental impacts from current levels. There is no room for increases. In that context it would be unconscionable to ignore the impact of the increased production required for this development and the inevitable added negative impact for the environmental performance of the Irish dairy industry,” it said in a statement defending its action.
An Taisce said it was very aware of the scale and tone of public comment since it first sought a review of this planning decision.
“Contrary to some public commentary, we care deeply about the viability of Irish rural life. We want the long term sustainability of Ireland’s agriculture and food sector to be assured, but the continued expansion of intensive dairying presents an existential threat to that possibility.”