Experience

With almost twenty years’ experience in the areas of environment, planning and climate change, Brendan is recognised as an expert in both planning and environmental law at national and EU level, having advised regulatory authorities, statutory bodies, local authorities and developers on the delivery of a wide range of local and national projects.

In recent years, Brendan has advised on almost every significant infrastructure project across Ireland spanning the areas of energy, transport, water, wastewater and the agri-business sector.

Brendan lectures significantly in planning law on each of the Professional Practice Course in Conveyancing, the Diploma in Commercial Conveyancing and the Diploma in Planning and Environmental Law.  He also lectures in planning and environmental law on the Diploma in Physical Planning, the Diploma in Environmental Engineering, the MSc in Environmental Science and the MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation.

Key highlights include advising:

  • An Bord Pleanála, defending the permissions for renewable energy projects including ESB/Coillte Keeper Hill, Cleanrath Cork, MAAS Donegal, Ecopower Tipperary, Green Wind Energy Offaly, Galetech Energy Clare, Framore Cork, Kilvinane Cork, College Proteins Meath, advising promoters on the delivery of wind projects at BGE Knockacummer, Sorne II, Eco Wind Power’s Meenadreen, Hollyford, Caherdowney, Corkermore and Drumlough hill windfarms and advising funders on wind projects at Church hill, Crigshane, Skrine and Tursillagh.
  • The Environmental Protection Agency on all its licensing and enforcement functions, prosecuting Nutricia, Kildare Chilling, Arrawbawn Co-operative, Padraig Kiernan Farms, Silver Hill Foods, Tipperary Co-operative, Arrow Group and Dunbia for breach of environmental licence, prosecuting Irish Water on waste water treatment upgrades and on standards and improvement programmes for drinking water sources and prosecuting Panda Waste, Ashgrove Recycling, Dublin Waste to Energy, Knockharley Landfill, Oxigen Waste, Greyhound Waste, ENVA, Country Clean Recycling, Scotch Corner Landfill, Padraig Thornton Waste Disposal for breach of waste law.
  • The promoters of every major waste-to- energy project with consent on the island of Ireland, including the first municipal waste incinerator in Ireland, the proposed national hazardous waste incinerator, the largest proposed municipal waste incinerator in Ireland and the first proposed hazardous landfill cell in Ireland.
  • Bord na Móna on planning and environmental issues connected with resource recovery businesses at Drehid, Kilberry, Nenagh, Portlaoise, Rosslare and Tullamore, their energy business at Edenderry and Oweninny and their peat businesses at Derringlough and Littleton.
  • Railway Procurement Agency (now Transport Infrastructure Ireland) on each of the red line extension through Citywest, the green line extension to Cherrywood, the red line extension to the Point Depot and the cross-city connection with link to Broombridge.
  • The Departments of Agriculture, Communications and Environment on development consent for the Corrib Gas Project, the proposed subsea telecommunications infrastructure to link Ireland with Wales, the Arklow Banks windfarm, the Codling Bank windfarm, the Oriel windfarm and, the exploration drilling platform proposed offshore at Dalkey.
  • Developers on the delivery of the Apple Data Centre Project, the Project Gemini Data Centre, the Convention Centre Dublin, the Aviva Stadium, the redevelopment of the RTÉ broadcasting campus at Montrose, the river Barrow water supply project, the Leixlip-Ballycoolen water supply scheme, the Leixlip and Osberstown Wastewater Treatment Plants, the National Food Park, the Wyeth Biopharma Campus, the Whitewater Shopping Centre, the Crescent Shopping Centre and of major residential developments throughout the greater Dublin area, including in the City Centre, Ballsbridge, Greystones and Milltown.