Opponents of plans to locate an explosives manufacturing plant on the Shannon Estuary have offered no factual evidence why the proposal should not go ahead, according to Mr John Crosbie, on behalf of Shannon Explosives Ltd.
He was speaking during the closing arguments at the end of a Bord Pleanála hearing into the proposal in Ennis, Co Clare.
Referring to complaints by objectors over security-related information about the project being withheld from them, Mr Crosbie said: "During the hearing no question was left unanswered by the company."
He said the company has spent just under €4 million in getting the project proposed for Cahercon, Kildysart, Co Clare, to the current stage.
The case by Shannon Explosives Ltd was supported by 16 experts employed by the company during the hearing, while the opponents' formal evidence took less than two hours to deliver on the final day of the hearing.
In his closing argument, Mr Michael Nolan, of Cairde Chill an Disirt Teoranta, repeated his protest over certain information relating to the project not being made available.
He also said appropriate weight should be given to the evidence of the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board (SRFB) which had no axe to grind and recommended that the project should not proceed.
Speaking on behalf of Clare County Council at the close of the hearing, Mr John Shaw said the council was in the unusual position during the hearing of not being able to make all information available.
He said that the Shannon Explosives proposal would represent a planning gain for the Kildysart area, and would improve the visual amenity of the area and compliment its sea-orientated industry zoning.
The hearing also heard that opposition to the explosives plant by a group of Salesian nuns living nearby ended after the Whelan Group, which controls Shannon Explosives Ltd, purchased the nuns' convent and adjoining 200 acres at Cahercon, Kildysart.
Last year, the nuns joined a High Court action seeking to compel the Minister for Justice to release information on the proposed factory.
The nuns' property was up for sale for some time, and it believed Shannon Explosives Ltd paid between €1 million and €1.5 million for it.
If the company does secure planning from the appeals board, it still needs to obtain an ascent licence from Clare Council Council to comply with the 1875 Explosives Act.
Proceedings in relation to the ascent licence have been adjourned pending the outcome of a High Court case taken by Cairde Chill an Disirt Teoranta relating to security information surrounding the Shannon Explosives proposal.
A judgement in the case is awaited.
