UPDATE: Kildare group campaigning against planned Ballyshannon quarry has raised €23,445 so far
A Kildare-based group campaigning against the planned Ballyshannon quarry has raised €23,445 so far, out of its €80,000 goal.
The Ballyshannon Action Group was set up in 2019 in response to a quarry planning application by Kilsaran Concrete at Racefield, in Ballyshannon.
While the application was initially refused by Kildare County Council, Kilsaran later appealed the decision with An Bord Pleanala (ABP).
In early June 2021, they were granted permission for the quarry.
The news of the funds raised by the Ballyshannon Action Group follows after it renewed its appeal against the proposed project last week.
The appeal read: "If you are angry that we are having to fight to protect our community against the unsustainable development of a major quarry on a greenfield site here in the rural residential node of Ballyshannon, County Kildare, please get in touch with local representatives and TDs and make your voice heard.
"We have received very welcome, cross-party support for our campaign to date, but we need everyone to know that this issue is not going away."
SPOKESPERSON COMMENT
A spokesperson for the group, Joanna Costello, also revealed that on January 25, Kilsaran advised the court that they are contesting the group’s request for leave to be granted for a Judicial Review of the ABP decision regarding the proposed quarry.
She added: "ABP advised that they are neutral, and that Mr. Justice Meenan has therefore directed that legal submissions be exchanged between parties and the Leave Application is listed for a hearing on October 20, 2022."
Kilsaran and Kildare County Council were contacted for comment by the Leinster Leader, but neither responded.
The group's GoFundMe can be found here.