October 18, 2020
Ireland

Derrybrien wind farm generates €5m penalty on EU’s €15,000 daily fine

Justine McCarthy | The Sunday Times | Sunday October 18 2020 | www.thetimes.co.uk

A daily fine of €15,000 levied by the EU against the state for failing to carry out an environmental impact assessment of a wind farm on a Galway bog already totals more than €5m.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) imposed the fines, along with a €5m lump sum penalty, last November.

It had ruled in 2008 that the state had not fulfilled its obligations under the environmental impact assessment directive. The state has paid the €5m penalty but not the daily fines.

Gort Windfarms, an ESB subsidiary, which constructed the turbine at Derrybrien in Co Galway, submitted an application to An Bord Pleanala for “substitute consent” on August 13.

Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, a retrospective application can be made for substitute

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URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/10/18/derrybrien-wind-farm-generates-e5m-penalty-on-eus-e15000-daily-fine/