The IFA has requested that An Taisce answer a series of questions following its decision to lodge a further appeal against the planning permission for the Glanbia cheese plant.

“An Taisce has now lost their case three times, but it’s clear their strategy is designed to keep appealing until the project runs out of time,” president Tim Cullinan said.

“This is a reprehensible abuse of the planning system, their position as a prescribed body and the court system. It must be remembered that the people impacted here will be farmers and their families.”

The questions

The questions asked by the IFA include:

  • Why won’t An Taisce accept decisions of the statutory planning appeals body An Bord Pleanala or our High Court?

  • How is An Taisce funding these court actions?

  • Why did An Taisce fundamentally change its constitution in December?

  • Who within An Taisce made the decision to appeal to the High Court and to appeal again?
  • Why has An Taisce excluded their local groups from decisions on planning appeals?
  • How many members do An Taisce have?

    • “I wrote to An Taisce a number of months ago seeking to meet them on this and they refused to do so.

    An Taisce has a privileged position

    “I eventually, through persistence, met one of their senior members on two occasions who advised me that An Taisce wanted to make a stand,” Cullinan said.

    “An Taisce has a privileged position as a prescribed body under the Planning Acts. In my view, they are abusing this privilege.

    “Their new constitution raises serious issues about their remit and their democratic mandate.”