Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) is taking the High Court action against Shannon LNG on the basis of EU law, climate science, and Ireland’s breach of its sectoral emissions obligations.

The group is represented by FP Logue Solicitors, John Kenny BL and James Devlin SC.

In the proceedings, FIE cites what it says are critical failures in the environmental impact statement submitted by the developer and An Bord Pleanála’s alleged failure to act in accordance with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 (as amended).

An affidavit from Paul Price, adjunct professor at Dublin City University, argues that the environmental impact assessment appears to have “significantly underestimated” the greenhouse gas emissions linked to the proposed development.

Tony Lowes, FIE director, said: “To commit Ireland to further fossil fuel generation when the planned capacity has been met is fundamentally flawed as households will bear the financial costs and the inevitable overshoot of our climate targets will require cuts to other sectors — or eye-watering fines.”