Case against man accused of interfering with power plant construction adjourned

A High Court action against a landowner who is alleged to have jeopardised work on a €300m power generation plant has been adjourned for two weeks.

Endesa Ireland Ltd, which is in the preliminary stages of building a gas turbine power plant at Great Island, Campile, Co Wexford, obtained orders late last week against Michael Murphy, who, it is alleged, has blocked an access road to the 140-acre site and interfered with security fencing in a row over rights of way.

In its action the company claims Mr Murphy, with an address at Hollymount, Mountain View Road, Slieve Rua, Via Waterford, blocked access to the site by placing vehicles on an access road of the site.

The company also claims Mr Murphy tore down a security fence at another location on the property. Mr Murphy is one of a consortium who owns land adjacent to the site.

Last Friday at the High Court Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy granted Endesa temporary injunctions preventing Mr Murphy or anybody else from impeding access to or obstructing any person using the access road, or from interfering with the security fence.

Seeking the orders Barrister Stephen Dowling for Endesa said Mr Murphy's "guerrilla-type actions" were "a flagrant disregard" of Endesa's property rights. Mr Murphy, the court heard is one of a consortium who owns land beside the site.

On Monday, when the matter was briefly mentioned before the High Court, Mr Justice John Edwards was told that both sides in the dispute were consenting to the matter being put back to allow Mr Murphy time to furnish a replying affidavit.

Mr Michael Ryan, a solicitor acting for Mr Murphy, said his client was prepared to give an undertaking to comply with the terms of the injunctions.

The Judge, in adjourning the matter to a date later this month, further ordered that the injunctions against Mr Murphy remain in place.