DUNDALK’S FREE NEWSPAPER Féile Na Tána Festival Returns This Month Page 6
Hundreds Attend Vigil For Dr Sean Owens Page 10
Three Local Schools Represented At Young Scientists Exhibition Page 11
Wednesday, 15th January, 2025. Vol. 18, Issue 3 • 9A, Crowe Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth Tel: 042 932 0888 | Email: editorial@dundalkleader.com; advertising@dundalkleader.com
BOGGED DOWN
Ardee Bypass project faces further delays as environmental group lodge appeal in Supreme Court By Paul Byrne THE long running saga of the proposed N52 Ardee Bypass took another twist last week with the news that a group calling themselves ‘Friends of Ardee Bog’ have lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court to review the An Bord Pleanála decision to grant Louth County Council planning permission to build the N52 Ardee Bypass through Ardee Bog without carrying out a full environmental impact assessment. It seemed as though the path was clear last May for work on the bypass to begin when the High Court dismissed a judicial review brought by Friends of Ardee Bog, which chal-
lenged An Bord Pleanála’s decision that neither an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) nor a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) was required for the proposed bypass. In November, those who have been championing the idea of a bypass were celebrating once again as ‘Friends of Ardee Bog’s’ legal challenge on the May ruling failed with Ms Justice Miriam O’Regan refusing the group the right to appeal. Those celebrations have been cut short once again however with the latest news of yet another appeal, this time in the Supreme Court, by the environmental group. Continued on Page 2
Aobha Jane Davies from the Bush Post Primary took part in this year’s BT Young Scientist competition and her project was labelled ‘Highly Commended’ by judges. Full Story-Page 11.