An Taisce was today granted leave to challenge the permission given to Edenderry power station to continue burning peat until 2023

An Taisce has today been granted leave by the High Court to bring a judicial review regarding the peat-and-biomass power station at Edenderry, Co Offaly.

The plant burns up to 1.2 million tonnes of peat a year.

An Taisce’s case is that, contrary to EU law, the environmental effects of extracting the peat fuel to be burned at Edenderry were not assessed before granting planning permission to allow the plant burn peat from 2015 to 2023, or at any point previously.

Commenting on the grant of leave, James Nix, Policy Director for An Taisce, said: “This is a clear case where the environmental impact must be assessed before a green light can validly be given. Today is the first step in the legal process and we look forward to the issues being examined by the High Court”.

ENDS

For further information, please call:

James Nix, Policy Director, An Taisce Tel: +353 86 8394129

Charles Stanley-Smith, Communications, An Taisce Tel: +353 87 2411995

email: [email protected]

An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland

www.antaisce.ie

Notes:

The decision to extend the life of Edenderry power station from the end of 2015 to 2023 was made by An Bord Pleanála in November 2013.