New Ross Bypass back on track as call for judicial review is rejected
Wednesday March 03 2010
THE NEW Ross Bypass is now back on track after the High Court threw out a case yesterday (Tuesday) against the multi-million Euro road project and refused leave to appeal.
An Bord Pleanala's approval of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the New Ross Bypass was the subject of a Judicial Review initiated by Dublin man Peter Sweetmen.
According to Don Curtin, the Liaison Officer with the National Roads Authority (NRA), the judge concluded yesterday that the grounds Mr. Sweetmen raised were 'insubstantial' and he refused leave for judicial review.
There were serious fears voiced in recent weeks that the judicial review would hold up the entire bypass project for a number of years.
Up to yesterday the NRA were unable to proceed with the project and Deputy Sean Connick voiced his concern that the CPO approval may expire before the legal review of the Environmental Impact Statement approval is complete.
'We are back on track. I am absolutely ecstatic,' said Deputy Sean Connick, adding that the High Court case removed the last obstacle to the bypass proceeding.
'I want to warmly welcome this judgement from the High Court which I regard as a common sense response to this legal challenge... If this challenge had been successful the New Ross By-Pass could have been delayed for another four years,' he said.
'The High Court has taken the wise decision to refuse leave to appeal on their decision, which will mean that objectors will not be able to delay the project more than they already have by appealing this judgement to the Supreme Court,' added the deputy.
The New Ross Bypass was 'decoupled' from the Enniscorthy bypass as the NRA did not wish to delay the Enniscorthy Bypass if New Ross one was delayed and decided to proceed with it on a standalone basis as a Public Private Partnership scheme.
However, the Board of the NRA have a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, where it is expected that they will take a decision at this meeting to 're-couple' the New Ross and Enniscorthy bypasses as a joint project.
According to the Fianna Fail TD, Peter Sweetmen, has objected to at least 15 projects in the past, including the Rathcoole Incinerator in Dublin, the Galway City By Pass, the Shell Pipeline in Mayo and the Ballymun Regeneration Project.
