Work has stopped on the extension to Ros-a-Mhíl fishery harbour in south Connemara, following a legal challenge.
As The Irish Independent reports, the 200 metre deepwater quay to facilitate floating offshore wind is three-quarters complete.
The 30 million euro project, for which there was a long campaign, was announced by Minister for Agriculture and Marine Charlie McConalogue in February 2022.
Work had to stop after a legal challenge taken by Peter Sweetman of Wild Ireland Defence CLG over the legality of extended planning permission.
Sweetman told the newspaper that it may have to be removed under European law.
“The application for extension of time by the minister was illegal. Galway County Council granted permission and we took a judicial review of that decision because it wasn’t in accordance with the law. It’s not our problem,”Sweetman told The Irish Independent.
In a response, the Department of Agriculture and Marine confirmed all works at the site had to “cease immediately”.
“The department signed a €30m contract with Ward & Burke Construction Ltd (Contractor) on December 22, 2022 to construct the deep water quay in Ros an Mhíl (Rossaveal) fishery harbour centre, Co Galway,” it said.
“Planning permission for this project was granted in 2018 and due to expire in July 2023, i.e. before the works would be completed.
“Consulting engineers for the department prepared and applied for an extension to the planning authority of Galway County Council in May 2023. An extension of five years was granted on July 11, 2023,”the department statement said.
“In November 2023, the department received papers from the Chief State Solicitor’s office regarding a judicial review of the decision to extend the planning period. The applicant is Wild Ireland Defence CLG, the respondent is Galway County Council. This department is a notice party,”it said.
“The department understands that the matter was most recently before the court on May 14 and at that hearing the court directed that Galway County Council set out its position in writing and submit to the court within one week,”it said.
“Galway County Council has confirmed that it was not going to defend the proceedings. Consequently, legal advice received by the department is that work on site should cease immediately,”the statement continued.
“While the department’s legal advisors are considering the best way forward it is likely that a substitute consent will be required. It is the department’s objective to complete the project and we are working closely with our consulting engineers to ensure that the required steps will be taken as quickly as possible,” it said.
Read more in The Irish Independent here
