MINISTER FOR the Environment John Gormley has demanded that Fine Gael environment spokesman Phil Hogan withdraw a “serious allegation” that he was “in cahoots” with a former Green Party member who took a court case against An Bord Pleanála.

Mr Hogan had asked during Dáil questions if the Minister was supporting a Supreme Court appeal against An Bord Pleanála, whose granting of permission for the Galway city outer bypass was backed by the High Court.

He said the outer bypass was an essential part of the infrastructure for the area. “If a Fianna Fáil deputy in the past entered into litigation as a Minister supporting one of their own like you are with Mr Sweetman you’d be the first to jump up and down and talk about political interference.

“Mr Sweetman is a former Green Party candidate . . . The fact that you are in a position you’re in and supporting this at taxpayers’ expense gives a perception that you’re on Mr Sweetman’s side.”

Mr Gormley accused the Fine Gael spokesman of “impugning my integrity. What you’re saying here is that a person who was a former member of my party, many, many years ago and no longer a member . . . that somehow I am in cahoots. This is the implication clearly from what you have just said and that is completely wrong.”

The Minister said the State’s legal advice was that the “High Court had misinterpreted the habitats directive”. He stressed that “the State and Mr Sweetman sought separately leave to appeal”.

“Neither I nor my department had discussions with Mr Sweetman nor with Hands Across the Corrib in regard to this case. Neither party is in receipt of financial or other supports from my department.”

Mr Gormley said the case involved the construction of a road through a special area of conservation (SAC). “The footprint of the road will be over 20 hectares within the SAC and will necessitate the destruction of a sizeable area of habitat”. It was a clear infringement of the directive.