EUROPEAN COURT HEARING INVOLVING CITY BYPASS CONCLUDES

Date Published: 12-Sep-2012

An oral hearing concerning the Galway outer city bypass has concluded at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg.The case, Peter Sweetman versus An Bord Pleanala, was heard by a panel of judges, and involved submissions from other EU countries inclduing Greece.It will see the European court rule on the interpretation of conservation areas under the European Council's habitat directive.If the court's clarification is favourable, the bypass legal proceedings will resume here in the High Court.However, if the court rules that the project as it stands will contravene the habitats directive, then the plans for the bypass will have to be re-examined.Galway West Fine Gael TD Sean Kyne who is in Luxembourg for the court hearing, says the advocat general gave no date for a decision on the case.