High Court rejects contempt claim against Roscommon Council

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

The High Court dismissed Friends of the Irish Environment’s contempt application against Roscommon County Council in a judgment on 4 November 2021.

The group had alleged that the council breached an earlier court order concerning remediation at a proposed flood relief scheme near Lough Funshinagh.

The judge found that the earlier order did not prevent the council from seeking approval for works under a different statutory scheme. The council had obtained approval for emergency flood relief works on 14 October 2021.

The court said the new works were significantly scaled back from those previously challenged, though they would use part of the pipeline laid before that challenge.

The dismissal concerned the alleged contempt. The judge said a challenge to the council’s fresh development consent could be brought through judicial review; outstanding issues, including costs, were to return before the court later that month.