No Decision on Arklow Sewage Plant

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No Decision on Arklow Sewage Plant

Friday, August 3 2007

Arklow Town councillors have described as 'devastating' the High Court's latest delay in handing down its ruling on the proposed Arklow sewage treatment plant.

Six councillors travelled up to Dublin for Mr. Justice Frank Clarke's expected final decision in the case, but were dismayed to learn that the judge was 'not ready' to deliver his ruling.

Court lists indicated that the judge would be handing down his decision at 11 a.m. but councillors and the council's legal team were stunned when he walked out of the courtoom at 10.55 a.m. never to return, without the case even being called.

Council solicitor Cathal Louth later learned privately that the judge hadn't yet made his decision but would deliver it 'at the earliest possible opportunity'.No one knows when that might be.

Councillor Peter Dempsey, who protested recently about delays to the case, was in court and said the news was like a 'belt in the stomach'.

Councillor Nicky Kelly, also in court along with councillors Bernie O'Halloran, Pat Fitzgerald, Vincent McElheron and Sylvester Bourke, said the delay was 'devastating news for the people of Arklow'.

Mayor Sylvester Bourke said the team was disappointed on two fronts - that the decision was deferred and that nobody in the courts service had told the council's legal team that a trip to the court on Tuesday would be a waste of time.

'We went the whole way up to Dublin and made a special effort,' Cllr. Bourke said, 'we are very despondent.'

'We we were hoping to be celebrating on the way home.'

The judge indicated that he might be able to deliver a judgement some time during the court's summer recess, which lasts until October.

The High Court action has been brought by the owners of the Arklow Holidays caravan park at Seabank, who are appealing against elements of An Bord Pleanála's decision to approve the sewage plant in 2005.

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