The review of a licence to dredge the sea-bed in Cork Harbour may be heard by the High Court next week in an attempt to cause minimum delay in the completion of the Lee tunnel. Mr Justice Quirke said yesterday that he had made inquiries and he hoped a judge might be available to hear the judicial review either next Friday or the following Monday.
On Thursday evening Mr Justice Quirke granted an injunction to a group of Cobh fishermen who claimed their livelihoods would be threatened if The Spit Bank, a lucrative fishing ground, was dredged to provide in-fill material for the tunnel.
The court order restrains the tunnel builders from dredging the sea-bed for sand and gravel until the court rules on the fishermen's challenge to the granting of the excavation licence by the Minister for the Marine.
Mr Justice Quirke was told the builders were losing £70,000 a day because of delays caused by High Court litigation and that the contractors stood to lose millions of pounds unless an early hearing of the fishermen's challenge was arranged.
The Cobh fishermen say 30 families depend for their livelihoods on fishing The Spit Bank and reject suggestions that fish stocks would quickly recover following dredging operations.
Yesterday Mr Justice Quirke granted orders for discovery of documents against the Minister for the Marine and the contractors.