Success for anti-plastics factory campaigners in Skibbereen

The Save Our Skibbereen (SOS) campaign has welcomed the decision today in the High Court which sees the quashing of a decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant permission for a plastics factory in Skibbereen.

In the High Court today, An Bord Pleanala consented to the court granting an order quashing the decision of the Bord dated 29th November 2018 which had permitted the construction of a thermoplastic compounds production facility at Poundlick on the Baltimore Road.

And it is ordered that the subject matter of the said decision be remitted to An Bord Pleanala to be decided in accordance with law.

As is normal in cases of this kind, the subject matter of the decision will be remitted by the High Court to the Bord for further consideration which may result in a request to Daly Products Limited for a Natura Impact Statement.

‘We will be a copy party to communications between the Bord and Daly Products Limited and to any NIS and will have opportunity to challenge or object,’ said a spokesperson for SOS.

‘We are advised that it will take a year to 18 months for procedures between the Bord and Daly Products Limited to play out and that no development can be commenced in that period,’ named appellant Brendan McCarthy, a resident of Poundlick, told The Southern Star on Tuesday.

And he called on SOS supporters not to make the decision a personal issue on social media by making any negative comments about those who campaigned in favour of the factory. 'We have never wanted this to be a personal issue,' said Brendan. 'It was an impartial campaign for us, it was not about anyone in particular, so we don't want to see any personal attacks. But this is just fantastic news, especially in the light of the news about the kelp campaign yesterday and also Fionn Ferreira's win in California. It's been a fantastic week,' he added. 'It shows how a small community really can win sometimes.'

For full story see The Southern Star on Thursday.