A decision on the planning application for an LNG terminal in North Kerry will be delayed further as further submissions are being sought by the planning body.
An Coimisiún Pleanála, formerly An Bórd Pleanála, was due to decide on the application for a liquefied natural gas terminal on the Tarbert/Ballylongford landbank, by 22nd September.
Shannon LNG is seeking permission to build a terminal to import, store, and regasify up to 180,000 cubic metres of LNG, and a 600-megawatt power plant.
The project was refused planning permission in 2023, but this refusal was quashed by the High Court, and now another planning application for the development is being considered by the national planning body.
An Coimisiún Pleanála asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment, Darragh O’Brien, to clarify the government’s policy on private LNG developments.
This was after the Security of Energy Supply review was published, which committed to building a state-led gas reserve to be used in emergencies.
Minister O’Brien replied to the planning body to say that a previous ban on the importation of fracked gas no longer remains in place; environmental group Safety Before LNG claims this does not clarify the government’s position and will eventually leave the courts to interpret the policy down the line.
An Coimisiún Pleanála also contacted the company Shannon LNG to see if it wanted to submit any further documentation; the company sent back a lengthy, detailed reply with observations on 1st August.
Shannon LNG wrote that there is no justification for discrimination between a Gas Networks Ireland-sponsored project and this application.
The company wrote that only allowing the state to deliver a state-owned LNG import terminal would be an unlawful breach of European law on market de-regulation.
An Coimisiún Pleanála has now invited parties who had previously made submissions on the planning application, to comment on the recent submissions from the Minister and Shannon LNG.
Submissions can be filed with the planning body until 22nd September, meaning a decision on the planning application can no longer be made by that date, as originally planned.
