AS yesterday’s inquiry into one of the most emotive issues facing modern society degenerated into something of a shambles, the cliche ‘it could only happen in Ireland’ became reality.

CORK City Council have taken a High Court action challenging the decision by An Bord Pleanála to reduce a €4.3 million public facility contribution to €2.6m from a major builder for a mixed use residential office and retail development on a 1.24-hectare site in Cork.

ENVIRONMENTALIST Vincent Salafia was ordered by the High Court yesterday to pay a legal costs bill, which could be over €600,000, arising from his unsuccessful challenge to the proposed routing of the M3 motorway near the Hill of Tara.

ANTI-INCINERATOR campaigners yesterday called for a complete ban on incineration as they marched on the Dáil in protest at the proposed Indaver facility in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork.

Eoin English and Sean O’Riordan

A WASTE treatment company which wanted to develop a recycling plant in Co Waterford has been refused planning.

A WASTE treatment company which was refused planning for a recycling plant in Co Waterford is to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

OPPOSITION parties called on Health Minister Micheál Martin yesterday to stop "washing his hands" of incineration after An Bord Pleanála gave the go-ahead to the country's first toxic waste incinerator at Ringaskiddy in Cork.

A ROW over a county council’s insistence that a new housing scheme be restricted to occupants who speak Irish is to go to an oral hearing next week — where evidence will have to be given through Irish.

ENVIRONMENT Minister Martin Cullen has denied opposition claims that he has insufficient expertise to make planning decisions.

THEY may have lost the battle against the creation of a €56 million superdump, but people living in a small rural community in Cork are determined they will have their say on a new monitoring committee set up to ensure it’s run to the highest possible standards.

THE controversial re-ordering of a cathedral in Co Cork is to be the subject of an An Bord Pleanála oral hearing.

A BLUEPRINT for the multi-billion euro redevelopment of Cork’s north docks area, that includes 1,500 new homes and a 5,000-seat national events centre, was launched yesterday.

THE South Gate is the gateway to the medieval city of Cork. The present bridge was built as early as 1713.

U2 rocker The Edge yesterday lost his High Court bid to quash a decision of An Bord Pleanala refusing him planning permission for a major extension at his home at Sorrento Cottage, in Dalkey, Co Dublin.

A YOUNG Kerry hurler may have to demolish the walls of a €180,000 house he started to build without planning permission in a scenic area.

PLANNING problems with proposed mobile phone masts in Kerry are continuing, with four further refusals in recent weeks.

RESIDENTS welcomed an An Bórd Pleanála decision yesterday to refuse planning permission for a controversial €200 million housing development around a historic Cork home.