An Bord Pleanála power plant decision shows further retreat from pro-climate policies

“Today’s decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant permission for a power station in north Kerry represents further evidence of the retreat from pro-climate policies that is being led by the new Government”, stated Green Party Leader, Roderic O’Gorman.

“I’m concerned that the decision, while solely permitting a power station, leaves open the question of how that station will be fuelled going forward. My worry is that the commercial operator who has received permission today is going to come back later and seek permission for specific LNG infrastructure, like a regasification system, once the new Government has further rolled back restrictions on LNG that had been put in place by the last Government”, stated O’Gorman

Today’s decision by An Bord Pleanala grants planning permission for a gas fired electricity generation station. The station is similar to one which An Bord Pleanala rejected planning permission for in March 2025. However, on that occasion, the planning application also included permission for an LNG regasification unit, LNG receiving facilities and a jetty. These LNG specific features were not included in the application that was granted permission today.

“It is clear that the new Government has given signals to commercial LNG operators that they will be able to access Ireland in the near future. Government junior ministers have said that ‘the door is open’ to commercial LNG”, stated O’Gorman.

“Introducing commercial LNG as part of our energy mix will lessen the drive to develop renewable energy alternatives, and will make it far harder to meet our climate targets. This is a further retreat from the pro-climate policies that had applied over the last four years”, concluded O’Gorman.