An environmental group is seeking an injunction in the High Court to require Marine Harvest to cease the extraction of water from a lough in Connemarra, to remove a 3km pipeline, and to restore the site to its natural condition.

The injunction, by Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) taken under Section 160 of the Planning and Development Act, comes after Galway County Council ruled that the development was unauthorised and required planning permission.

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The group says that in spite of this the Council has taken no action while Marine Harvest has applied for retention of their pipeline. FIE says that this application is invalid, as retention can not be sought when a development requires assessment under European law.

"Marine Harvest is gaming the system," FIE Director Tony Lowes said. "We believe they have support from the highest levels and that neither the Council nor Irish water will take any action against this multinational, in spite of the threat to public water supplies in the area due to this extraction."

(CD/JP)