Legal challenge against site for new Mountjoy prison dropped

A legal challenge against the site chosen for the new Mountjoy Prison was dropped this afternoon.

Richard Merne from Killsallaghan in north Co. Dublin had claimed the Thornton Hall location, which the government bought for €30m, was unsuitable.

The Fingal Council engineer initiated proceedings early last summer against plans by the government to build the prison in nearby Thorton Hall.

Mr. Merne said the site was a national monument, and also claimed it was unsuitable as it didn’t have proper water, sewerage and transport facilities.

Furthermore, he maintained that an environmental impact assessment should have been carried out before the Government entered into the contract for the site.

The case was due to go ahead today but following discussions between the parties an agreement was reached and Mr. Merne withdrew his action.

The court heard the case was resolved on the basis that Mr Merne had agreed to pay some of the state’s costs, thought to be in the region of €30,000 and that preparatory work on the site could continue.