Friends of the Irish Environment granted permission to challenge LNG extension

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

Mr Justice David Barniville granted Friends of the Irish Environment permission on 4 October 2018 to bring a High Court challenge to an extension of planning permission for a liquid natural gas terminal. The proposed terminal is at Kilcolgan, near Tarbert in north Kerry.

The group seeks to quash An Bord Pleanála’s five-year extension, alleging that the board failed to consider possible effects on local wildlife and flora and to take account of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. It also seeks a declaration concerning possible significant effects on bottlenosed dolphins in the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation.

The judge said the case was suitable for the fast-track list for strategic infrastructure challenges. It was due to be mentioned before the court later that month.