SEPARATE LEGAL CHALLENGES AIMED AT QUASHING AN BORD PLEANALA’S PERMISSION FOR SHELL’S ONSHORE GAS PIPELINE IN NORTH MAYO HAVE BEEN FAST-TRACKED.

THE COMMERCIAL COURT HAS AGREED TO FAST-TRACK SEPARATE LEGAL CHALLENGES BY AN TAISCE,  AND TWO LOCAL RESIDENTS - PETER SWEETMAN AND MONICA MULLER AIMED AT QUASHING A CONSENT PERMISSION BY AN BORD PLEANÁLA FOR THE ONSHORE PIPELINE THAT WILL RUN FROM GLENGAD TO THE GAS TERMINAL IN BELLENABOY.

MR JUSTICE PETER KELLY TRANSFERRED BOTH ACTIONS TO THE COMMERCIAL COURT YESTERDAY, MADE DIRECTIONS FOR THE EXCHANGE OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND DIRECTED THE CASES WOULD BE HEARD TOGETHER, BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 4TH.

AN TAISCE, THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR IRELAND, AND MS MULLER AND MR SWEETMAN OF ROSSPORT SOUTH, BALLINA, -  WHO OWN LAND 500 METRES SOUTH OF THE PROPOSED PIPELINE – HAVE ADVANCED A LARGE NUMBER OF GROUNDS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR CHALLENGES BUT THEY HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO NARROW THESE DOWN.

THEY WANT ORDERS QUASHING THE BOARD’S DECISION OF JANUARY 19TH LAST GRANTING PERMISSION TO SHELL TO CONSTRUCT AN 8.3KM GAS PIPELINE BETWEEN THE LANDFALL AT GLENGAD  AND THE GAS TERMINAL AT BELLANABOY.