Government to appeal against restructuring aid ruling

THE Government is to appeal to the Supreme Court against a finding that it made an unlawful decision about how €145.5 million in restructuring aid should be allocated following the rationalisation of the European sugar industry and Greencore’s withdrawal from sugar production here.

In the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Frank Clarke was told the Government is appealing against the judge’s decision last month granting an application by Greencore to quash the Government decision of July 12, 2006.

The judge’s finding, if upheld, means the Government would have to reconsider the matter in accordance with principles laid down by the court and recalculate the losses incurred by affected parties.