Quinn Group to appeal court ruling

Cement manufacturer Quinn Group will appeal a High Court ruling striking out its challenge to planning permission granted to …

Cement manufacturer Quinn Group will appeal a High Court ruling striking out its challenge to planning permission granted to Lagan Cement for a cement manufacturing installation and factory at Killaskillen, near Kinnegad, Co Westmeath.

In a statement yesterday, Quinn Group said it was surprised and disappointed at Mr Justice Quirke's judgment on October 4th and said it would lodge an appeal.

The judge had concluded that the sole purpose of the Quinn Group's proceedings was to inflict damage on its competitor, Lagan.

He described this as an improper use of the process of the courts and ordered the firm to pay the costs of Lagan and An Bord Pleanala.

READ MORE

Quinn Group, in its statement, claimed it had suffered more than any other Irish firm in its efforts to enter markets controlled by monopolies in the various industries in which it operated.

It contended its decision to object to the Lagan planning application to Meath County Council was only reached following the findings of its senior engineers that the application was deficient in scale and content.

Referring to covert payments of £30,000 (€38,119) by the Quinn Group to the Ballina brackey Residents' Action Group to fund legal proceedings seeking to restrain Meath County Council from determining Lagan's planning application, the company said it had received a request for its contribution.

"In hindsight, this was a mistake and we believe that it would have been wiser to proceed with our own objection rather than contribute to the residents' fund," it added.

It also claimed that media reporting on the issue had been one-sided and concentrated only on the actions of Quinn Group.

It said it still had serious concerns regarding the Lagan development and believed its actions would be better understood when explained against that background.