An Taisce has sought and was granted more time to prepare for its nitrates case against the Minister for Housing, in which the IFA and now the ICMSA are notice parties.

The case, which had been due before the High Court on Monday, will instead now have its first hearing in mid-June.

It is likely a substantive hearing over An Taisce’s legal action against the Government’s introduction of the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) and the extension of the derogation will now not take place until the autumn, a spokesperson for An Taisce said.

An Taisce sought more time to review state opposition documents, as well as the IFA and ICMSA submissions, understood to total about 2,000 pages.