Friends' Work

// High Court orders over unauthorised Leitrim road welcomed

Friends of the Irish Environment have welcomed the Order of the High Court against Leitrim County Council's road building in a European nature conservation site. The proceedings were brought by CLEAN (the Cavan Leitrim Environmental Awareness Network) against Leitrim County Council over an unauthorised road building project commenced by the County Council over Boleybrack Mountain, an upland plateau north of Lough Allen in County Leitrim.

The Council are prohibited from further work on the site as they were not subject to a prior environmental impact assessment which is required as the site is protected under the EU Habitats Directive.

‘The success of a voluntary local environmental group in protecting this area from development highlights the failure of the National Parks and Wildlife Service to perform its statutory function. Both the Local Authority and the NPWS had been alerted in advance to the proposed development yet the only action taken was by this group of individuals.'

The Council have 8 weeks to agree a programme of remedial works with CLEAN and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Ireland current faces 33 court proceedings in the European Court of Justice for environmental failings. 13 of these have been returned to the Court seeking daily fines, 4 more than when the current Minister for the Environment took office.

Credit: Spokesman
Verification and further information: Tony Lowes 027 74771 / 087 2176316
Joachim Schaefer, clean_info@iolfree.ie