A €140 million cheese factory at Belview Port has been given the green light following a Supreme Court decision this morning after quashing challenges from An Taisce.
The group raised environmental concerns about the products from the planned facility in Slieverue.
It also raised the issue of discharges from the factory into the River Suir, but those were dismissed.
The plant is to be developed under a joint venture agreement with Glanbia’s Dutch partner Royal-A-Ware and will provide 450 jobs in the construction phase.
The appeal at the Supreme Court heard arguments that the potential environmental impact of annually producing 450 million litres of milk to supply the cheese plant should be treated as “significant indirect effects” of the development.
Neil Steen SC, for An Taisce told the court that the provision of some 450 million litres of milk to the plant each year raises “serious concerns” about Ireland’s greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions, as well as nitrate pollutants affecting water quality.
IFA President and Tipp man Tim Cullinan said the decision of the Supreme Court to give the green light to the Glanbia cheese plant should be respected by everybody.
The project has come under scrutiny five times by Kilkenny County Council, An Bord Pleanála, the High Court, the Court of Appeal and now the Supreme Court.
On each occasion, the process has been found in favour of developing the plant.
Cullinan said “Every appeal avenue has now been exhausted. It’s clear that our planning system needs significant reform to avoid it being used by some to delay necessary developments”
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