Former attorney general challenges Slane Bypass in High Court
A former attorney general has launched a legal challenge against the construction of the Slane bypass in Meath.
John Rogers, a former attorney general, who served as the government’s legal adviser from 1984 to 1987 under Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald during the Fine Gael-Labour coalition has sought a judicial review to halt the project.
The challenge follows the approval of a planning application for the bypass by An Coimisiún Pleanála earlier this July.
The bypass project proposes a 3.5-kilometre route around Slane village, featuring a dual carriageway and a 258-metre bridge over the River Boyne.
Plans also include the development of public spaces within the village. The High Court has scheduled the hearing for mid-January 2026, Meath County Council has confirmed.
A council spokesperson confirmed that efforts had been made to expedite the High Court proceedings.
They said: “On Monday, September 15, 2025, the High Court granted leave to Mr John Rogers to bring a Judicial Review challenge to the Development Consent given by An Coimisiún Pleanála for the development of Slane Bypass.”
“While the challenge is against An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision, Meath County Council has been named as a Notice Party to the proceedings and will actively participate in the defence of the Consent obtained.”
They added: “In this regard, the Council sought an expediated hearing of the action and this was supported by the other parties . The Council is pleased to say that a hearing has been scheduled for the 15th and 16th January 2026 and is hopeful that this long-awaited strategic road scheme will eventually get a green light early next year.”
Slane sits at the junction of two major roads: the N2, connecting Dublin to Derry, and the N51, linking Delvin in Westmeath to Drogheda in Louth via Navan.
It is estimated that around 17,000 vehicles pass through the village daily, prompting long-standing calls for a bypass to improve road safety.
In December 2023, local residents placed 23 crosses on Slane Bridge to honour the 23 lives lost on this stretch of road.
The current legal challenge is the latest setback for the bypass, after an earlier planning application was rejected in 2012. At that time, An Bord Pleanála cited concerns about the road’s impact on views of the Brú na Bóinne complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Meanwhile the Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, a Slane resident who has long campaigned for the bypass said he was “bitterly disappointed” by the judicial review.
He said: “While I am bitterly disappointed that there has been a judicial review sought into the bypass of Slane village, I welcome that the date has been set so quickly.”
"The scheme was granted planning permission, having stood up to extraordinary scrutiny, and I have absolutely no doubt it will pass this further impediment and finally, lead to the dangerous N2 been taken out of Slane village and millions of euro being invested in Slane's public realm," Cllr Harding added.