Shannon LNG Natural Gas Permission Upheld

In Friends of the Irish Environment CLG v An Coimisiún Pleanála [2026] IEHC 205, Humphreys J dismissed a challenge to a decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála (Commission) to approve a 600 MW gas‑fired power plant and 120 MW battery storage facility in Co. Kerry.

The ruling offers further clarity on climate obligations under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 (as amended), how greenhouse gas emissions should be treated in Environmental Impact Assessment, and how Appropriate Assessment is to be understood where minor losses of Annex I habitats occur. It also underscores the importance of raising all relevant objections during the planning process rather than waiting to deploy them in litigation. Humphreys J reiterated that “[j]udicial review is not generally a second chance to dream up new issues” that were not already raised in the planning process.