Kildare action group fighting quarry development have raised €25k online towards legal battle

A local action group fighting a quarry near Kilcullen said it will step up fundraising efforts in coming months ahead of a hearing date in the High Court in October.
Last year an Bord Pleanála granted approval for the development at Racefield, Ballyshannon, by Kilsaran Concrete despite more than 200 objections to the original planning application, which was rejected by Kildare County Council.
Ballyshannon Action Group is now seeking a judicial review of the decision by An Bord Pléanala and appeared in the High Court on January 25 last.
Lawyers for Kilsaran advised the court that they are contesting the request for leave to be granted for a judicial review.

Mr Justice Meenan directed that legal submissions be exchanged between parties and the leave application is listed for a hearing on October 20 next.

A spokesperson for Ballyshannon Action Group said: “In the meantime we are planning lots of fundraisers for our campaign throughout the spring and summer.

“For example, there will be an auction on April 8 in Dowling’s of Ballyshannon.”
Almost €25,000 has already been donated by the public to a Gofundme account.

Objections to the original planning application had come from the Aga Khan, jockey Ruby Walsh, along with horse breeders led by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (ITBA).
Ballyshannon National School also had serious concerns about the level of HGV traffic on local roads.

Opposition campaigns claimed that the development will create dust and noise six days a week and bring at least 72 additional HGV truck journeys to local roads every day.

Kilsaran Concrete said the development will deliver a continuity of supply of aggregate materials to meet the ongoing demands of the construction industry and respond to the need to invest in public infrastructure set out in the National Development Plan.

The Meath-based company stated that the proposals will not have a negative impact on the nearby residents and therefore will not have an impact on the equine industry.

Fine Gael Kildare South TD and Minister of State, Martin Heydon said residents are concerned at the impact that such a development would have on the local road network system as well as the local environment.

He added that parents are in disbelief at assertions by Kilsaran Concrete that trucks transporting sand and gravel will not have an impact on the locality with Ballyshannon School only 1.5km away from the quarry development.
Kildare County Council had concerns about loss of amenity to the area.

Two of the world’s leading experts in archaeology and anthropology - Professor Susan Johnston of George Washington University and Professor Pam Crabtree of New York University - also voiced their concerns to An Bord Pleánala about the quarry’s close proximity to the ancient ceremonial site of Dún Ailinne.