Deputy Michael Healy Rae has welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to dismiss an appeal by An Taisce seeking to overturn a decision by An Bord Pleanála made in July 2020 which gave the green light to Glanbia’s €140 million cheese plant facility.
An Taisce argued that it had concerns over the planning process for the proposed development in Belview, Co. Kilkenny which held up income prospects for over 4,500 farm families supplying milk to Glanbia Ireland.
Agenda of Objections
However, the Kerry deputy feels that the Government must now act to ensure that An Taisce are made face up to “it’s agenda of objections for the sake of objections on all matters” and for money to be withheld from the body who he claimed were “entirely anti rural Ireland as well as anti-progress.
Long Wait Over
“I am delighted that the long wait is over for these farm families, who now have the chance to improve their livelihoods with such a great facility on their doorstep. It is a good day for farming.
“However due to the constant hold up by An Taisce, this project will now prove to be far more expensive to build due to the cost of inflation than it would have been a few years ago.
“An Taisce will have to answer for this, and I am calling on the Government stop state funding for this body with immediate effect.
“It is expected that the cheese plant will have a production capacity of 450 million litres of milk per annum.
“Milk used in the production process on site will be sourced from local suppliers and the cheese will be marketed and sold to global customers,” said Deputy Healy Rae.
You can contact The Maine Valley Post on… Anyone in The Maine Valley Post catchment area who would like to send us news and captioned photographs for inclusion can send them to: jreidy@mainevalleypost.com Queries about advertising and any other matters regarding The Maine Valley Post can also be sent to that address or just ring: 087 23 59 467.
