Environmentalist Sweetman hired for Galway Harbour expansion

It’s the classic case of poacher turned gamekeeper.  A serial objector to large-scale infrastructural developments, Peter Sweetman has been hired by Galway Harbour as a consultant to advise it on how best to secure planning approval for its ambitious expansion plans.

Mr Sweetman, an environmental consultant, is credited – or blamed – for halting progress on the Galway City Outer Bypass. He successfully appealed to European courts the decision by An Bórd Pleanála to give the go-ahead for the ring-road project.

It has resulted in the National Roads Authority and Galway’s two local authorities going ‘back to the drawing board’ and to look for an alternative route for the bypass. Galway Harbour, and the business community in the city, was one of the supporters of the bypass.

Mr Sweetman, held up as a champion by protestors, might ordinarily be expected to line-up on the side of the minority who are opposed to the harbour’s expansion plans.

But Chairman of Galway Harbour, Eamon Bradshaw, has confirmed to the Galway City Tribune that Mr Sweetman has been and continues to be engaged by the company to advise it on its IROPI application.

This is the first time the Imperative Reasons for Overriding Public Interest route for a major building project has been applied for in Ireland.

Under this route, Galway Harbour acknowledges its expansion plans will impact on natural habitats but that the impact is overridden by an overriding and imperative public interest.

Mr Sweetman has been brought on board to help prove that, and advise on the nuts and bolts of the application.

“We have a series of consultants and Peter Sweetman is one of them,” said Mr Bradshaw.

“The outer bypass failed in Europe. Now whether you agree with the decision of the court or not, he was one of the main objectors – the decision was given and whether you agree with it or not, he effectively won the case,” he said.

Mr Bradshaw added that Mr Sweetman was a “very knowledgeable man”, who has broad expertise in the area of European law and the IROPI process, which will be of great benefit to Galway Harbour’s expansion plans.

“I met with him. He’s a very, very knowledgeable. Everything he said made sense and so we took him on board,” added Mr Bradshaw.

Galway Harbour consultants are currently working on a response for further information from An Bórd Pleanála in relation to its application under IROPI.