Agriculture minister wins appeal over mussel-fishing negligence

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The agriculture and fisheries minister and the State won their Supreme Court appeal on 22 February 2016 over negligence claims arising from mussel-fishing closures in Castlemaine Harbour, Co Kerry.

The appeal overturned €400,000 in damages awarded to Cromane Seafoods Ltd and O’Sullivan McCarthy Mussel Development Ltd. A majority upheld the appeal concerning legitimate expectation and operational negligence, finding that the minister’s overriding duty was to comply with and implement EU law.