Green light for Glanbia cheese plant as High Court rejects An Taisce's leave to appeal decision
Glanbia has indicated its commitment to delivering a cheese production plant in Co Kilkenny after the High Court rejected An Taisce's leave to appeal the planning decision. File Picture.
The High Court has rejected An Taisce’s application for leave to appeal a planning decision that granted Glanbia permission to build a cheese production facility in Co Kilkenny.
Glanbia has welcomed the decision and highlighted its commitment to delivering the facility in a timely manner.
In a statement to the Irish Examiner, the co-op said the continental cheese production facility planned for Belview was a joint venture between Glanbia Ireland and international dairy firm, Royal A-ware, and “we are committed to bringing this project to fruition with our partners, Royal A-ware”.
“This project, which is in line with Government policy, is critical to our market diversification post-Brexit, will support rural Ireland’s post-Covid-19 recovery and is of huge importance to the 4,500 farm families supplying milk to Glanbia Ireland,” added Jim Bergin, CEO Glanbia.
“The new plant will create a new product for new markets and reduce Ireland’s current dependence on the UK cheddar cheese market.
“Glanbia Ireland is fully committed to sustainability best practice and is working with the Government to secure a sustainable future for the agricultural sector, through AgClimatise and the Agri-Food Strategy 2030 process.”
Glanbia Ireland Chairman, John Murphy added: “This decision is good for farmers, good for jobs and good for the south-east region.
“There is now a moment of opportunity for considered engagement between all parties.”
Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president, Tim Cullinan, said the plant should now proceed without delay following its consideration by Kilkenny County Council, An Bord Pleanála, and the High Court.
He also highlighted how the project had come about as a response to the challenge from Brexit and the need for the sector to diversify its products and seek new markets.
“As the most exposed sector in the country, it’s reckless of any organisation to obstruct a valid initiative that is designed to safeguard the livelihoods of farm families and the rural economy in the southeast,” he added.
MEP Billy Kelleher, meanwhile, pointed to An Taisce’s case and its “weakness” from the get go.
“It was attempting to use the planning system to change government policy and while I have no issue with NGOs articulating and campaigning for changes in policy, it shouldn’t be done through the planning system,” he continued.
“What now must happen is that the company is let build the facility.
“Dairy farmers were facing significant financial losses if this facility was not given the go ahead as many had invested in increasing their dairy herd to meet the production requirements of this new facility.
“This is a good day for rural Ireland.
“Jobs will be created in the construction and operation of this facility and thousands of dairy farmers have been given predictability and certainty in terms of their contracts.”
In May, An Taisce indicated its intention to appeal the High Court’s cheese plant planning decision.
It stated that the body retained a fundamental concern for how the development would add to, what it described as, “the perilous state of Ireland’s carbon and pollution footprint”.
“Dairy production, and the supporting chain of industrial activity and animal husbandry, is a substantial contributor to Ireland already breaching key European metrics for emissions and environmental controls,” An Taisce continued.
“To align with its own national Climate Action Plans and with EU Directives on water quality, biodiversity and ammonia emissions, Ireland is required to reduce environmental impacts from current levels.
“There is no room for increases; in that context it would be unconscionable to ignore the impact of the increased production required for this development and the inevitable added negative impact for the environmental performance of the Irish dairy industry.”
