There's frustration and anger among farmers and residents in south county Roscommon that the High Court has ordered that works be suspended to install an overflow pipe at a flooded turlough.
Friends of the Irish Environment were today granted an injunction to prevent the construction of the 3km pipe, arguing that assessments under the EIA, Habitats and Water Framework directives have not being carried out.
The group believes that the legislation under which the work was being undertaken by Roscommon County Council has been superseded by European law.
The delay to the project, pending a court hearing will likely mean that the turlough, which is already a meter higher now than this time last year will flood again this winter.
This will result in more vegetation being damaged, land waterlogged and houses flooded, forcing families to leave their homes.
The decision by The Friends of the Irish environment to seek an injunction halting the works would create a very dangerous precedent by challenging climate mitigation measures, according to Roscommon Galway TD Denis Naughten.
Local resident, farmer and councillor Laurence Fallon says that as well as preventing huge hardship to the community, the work was actually to prevent any more damage and help restore the local habitat.
