SHELL HAS LOST a licence to operate a gas terminal at Bellanaboy in Co Mayo after a court challenge by a local resident.

The licence had been issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in June of this year but today the Commercial Court conceded the case brought by Martin Harrington and rescinded the licence.

Harrington had argued that the EPA failed to carry out a proper environmental impact assessment before granting the licence for Shell to operate the Mayo gas refinery and the Commercial Court found there were defects in the carrying out of the assessment.

The EPA said it accepted the decision made by the court to quash the licence and it will now consider the verdict. The agency had not opposed Harrington in his action and will pay his legal costs.

In a statement, Shell E&P Ireland Limited said the developments in court today will be examined and following consultation with the relevant bodies, it “fully anticipates that the required licences will be in place” when the pipelines starts production.

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