A GROUP of Howth residents was granted leave in the High Court yesterday to challenge a decision of Fingal County Council to go ahead with the development of two halting sites for travellers.
Mr Justice McCracken gave leave to First Administration Services Ltd, Clonliffe Works, Distillery Road, Dublin, whose members are in effect members of the Peninsula Action Group. The group was formed following a decision of Fingal County Council to build halting sites on the peninsula of Howth, Co Dublin.
Mr Michael Cush, counsel for the group, said the council made a decision to choose two sites in Howth as halting sites.
Before this, consideration was given to other sites. The council established sub-committees and invited travellers and members of the settled community to attend. There were 50 meetings. At the last minute, the county council changed to two different sites. No prior indication of this change had been given to councillors.
In an affidavit Ms Susan Jordan, Windgate Road, Howth, said she was a director and secretary of the company. On June 13th last, a meeting of the sub-committee, comprising councillors for the Howth Ward, took place, and further sites were proposed including sites at Carrickbrack Road opposite Howth Golf Club and two further sites. These were rejected by the councillors.
A further meeting of the subcommittee was held on June 24th to discuss all sites, and no indication was given to the councillors that two new sites at Windgate Road and Howth Castle would be proposed as alternative sites to previously identified sites at Thormanby Road and Filter Beds off Dungriffin Road.
At a meeting on July 8th last, the councillors did not have any prior notice of the proposal that the two sites would be substituted. No consultations were afforded for debate or representation to any community group or representative in relation to the two sites The decision was made to substitute the two sites.
The applicants are seeking orders quashing the July 8th decision and a declaration that Fingal County Council's decision to proceed with the development of the two sites was outside its powers.