Michelle Hayes

Environmental Trust Ireland, headed by Limerick solicitor Michelle Hayes, has raised 11 separate grounds for judicial review of the decision by An Coimisiún Pleanala to approve the expansion of the bauxite red mud waste area and quarry at Aughinish Alumina, Co Limerick.

Ms Hayes, who is a practising solicitor at Limerick firm Hayes Solicitors, has branded the facility as “an environmental disaster waiting to happen”.

She has raised the example of an environmental disaster in Hungary in 2010, where red mud from a smaller aluminium processing facility was released and resulted in the deaths of eight people.

Ms Hayes said: “This is the second set of judicial review proceedings taken by Environmental Trust Ireland against the expansion of the Aughinish red mud waste area to increase the height to 44 metres and the expansion of the quarry blast area.

“Two years ago, Environmental Trust Ireland obtained a High Court order quashing this decision.

“As a result of changes to the Planning Acts, it was remitted back to An Bord Pleanala for re-consideration and re-assessment, which again approved planning permission this year.”

She continued: “The Shannon Estuary is an environmentally remarkable area with a unique and rich biodiversity recognised and protected at European level. It is irreplaceable if compromised or destroyed.

“A number of environmental issues have been raised in these proceedings instigated by Environmental Trust Ireland, including, for example, the adverse impacts of quarry blasting noise and heavy metal contamination on the dolphins which inhabit the Shannon estuary. The use of ChatGPT is also an issue.

“Heavy metal and toxic contamination of groundwater and groundwater vulnerability to pollution is among the grounds raised by Environmental Trust Ireland, and granted leave by the High Court.

“Groundwater is a major source of water for domestic water supplies in Co Limerick. It is imperative that drinking water supplies are free of harmful pollutants.”

Environmental Trust Ireland is composed “entirely of volunteers” and coming up against government TDs and ministers who are “pro-developer and anti-community and anti-resident”, she added.

“These submissions are very time consuming on a voluntary basis but somebody has to speak for the environment, which has become increasingly under threat from adverse government policies.”