CHASE PRESS RELEASE - Monday, 01 December 2008
RELIEF AS HIGH COURT REFUSES AN BORD PLEANALA COSTS AGAINST RESIDENTS

Following a full hearing today, 1 Dec 2008, the High Court refused an application by An Bord Pleanala for costs against Ringaskiddy Residents Association, and individual residents from around Cork Harbour.

The costs relate to a challenge by Residents againsts planning granted for a 100,000 tonne hazardous waste incinerator. This case has now been removed from the High Court list, due to imminent expiry of planning permission, and all parties - the State, Attorney General, Indaver, Residents and now also An Bord Pleanala - will bear their own costs.

A spokesperson for CHASE said “We welcome the High Courts decision. It is a good day for community participation. The European Union takes the view that it is an obligation of member states to provide a system of Judicial Review, which is "not prohibitively expensive", and so we are relieved that the Residents do not face the burden of additional costs relating to the incinerator case.

We are pleased that today’s decision frees us to focus our energies on fighting Indavers new Fast Track planning application for the same project. This was lodged to An Bord Pleanala’s Strategic infrastructure on Friday last, 28 November, and allows an 8 week period for submission of objections - Happy Christmas indeed!”

ENDS

For further information contact:
Mary O’Leary, 086 8177737, 021 4811952
Linda FitzPatrick, 087 7410849, 021 4374506
Mary Hurley, 086 8162448, 021 4803070