An environmental group has been given leave to judicially review a decision by the Legal Aid Board to refuse to consider funding for their legal challenge to the Government’s National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework. Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) alleges the plans, part of Project Ireland 2040, were not properly assessed environmentally; notably in relation to evaluating climate change impact. While the Legal Aid Board accepted its limited income and assets qualified them for aid, it ruled its aid was only available to individuals and not companies. It has brought some of the most high profile environmental cases before the courts in recent years. The group contends the Constitution gives a right to access the courts including circumstances where it is not in a position to pay its lawyers.

Source: The Irish Times March 28, 2019 10:52 UTC