Environmental campaigners are to initiate High Court proceedings to try and force State authorities to raise public awareness about what they claim is the threat posed to public health by contaminated material on part of the former Irish Steel plant on Haulbowline.

The Government has committed to spending €61m on turning part of Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour into a public park, despite a report commissioned by the Office of Public Works (OPW), which concluded it was an unsuitable location for use as a public amenity.