A group of Cobh fishermen have been granted leave in the High court to challenge a decision by the Minister for the Marine to grant a sea-bed excavation of fishing grounds in cork Harbour.
Mr Declan Buckley for the fishermen told Mr Justice Flood the excavation was planned as part of creating in-fill for the £67 million Lee tunnel currently under construction across the River Lee.
Mr Buckley said the excavation works had been halted following a blockade of dredging machinery by fishing boats, but last week the High Court had ordered the lifting of the blockade. Mr Justice Kelly then held the excavations were properly being carried out in accordance with the terms of the licence granted by the Minister.
Mr Justice Flood also granted an injunction to the Cobh fishermen restraining three companies engaged in the construction of the Lee Tunnel from carrying out any excavations until further determination by the High Court.
At last week's hearing, the fishermen claimed their livelihoods had been put at risk by the dredging which they said would destroy one of their most lucrative fishing grounds in the harbour, known as The Spit.