Galway Bay fm newsroom - Ireland has paid a 5 million euro fine to the European Commission in connection with the construction of Derrybrien Windfarm in South Galway
The State was found to be in breach of environmental safeguards, and additional daily fines of €15,000 are being imposed until the situation is rectified.
In November, the European Court of Justice ruled that Ireland must comply with a 2008 instruction to properly examine the consequences of the development at Derrybrien.
The case centred on long standing concerns about the impact of the 70 turbine development on the Slieve Aughty mountains.
The wind farm is operated by a subsidiary company owned by the ESB, which also built it
During the construction phase in 2003, a massive landslide occurred
The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is awaiting an update on what the ESB intends to do to comply with the European Court of Justice ruling.
No work has been carried out on the Derrybrien site to date and it's understood the ESB is finalising a programme of action that would regularise the development.
