Apple seeks to fast-track Athenry data centre challenge

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

Apple asked the High Court to fast-track a legal challenge to its proposed €850 million data centre at Athenry, Co Galway, by entering the dispute on the court’s commercial list. The proceedings were reported on 1 November 2016.

Local residents Sinéad Fitzpatrick and Allan Daly, along with Wicklow landowner Brian McDonagh, had asked the High Court for a judicial review on environmental grounds. An Bord Pleanála had approved the project in August 2016 following public hearings. The report described planning objections concerning power usage, flooding and the impact on local wildlife and livestock.

The court had granted the objectors leave to seek a review but had not formally granted a full judicial review. Apple’s motion for entry to the commercial list was scheduled to be heard on 7 November 2016. A hearing in relation to the judicial review was due on 8 November 2016.

The report said a judicial review could delay a final decision by at least a year and possibly up to 18 months. If the dispute was accepted onto the commercial list, a decision was expected within about six months.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.