Glanbia Ireland statement on Kilkenny Cheese Project

The continental cheese production facility planned for Belview is a joint venture between Glanbia Ireland and international dairy firm, Royal A-ware.

Glanbia Ireland Chief Executive Jim Bergin said:

“We are really pleased that we can now bring this project to fruition in conjunction with our partners, Royal A-ware. This project is in line with Government policy and is critical to our market diversification post Brexit. Getting the plant into production as soon as possible is now of huge importance to our 4,500 farm families supplying their milk to Glanbia Ireland every day.

“This significant project was due to commence production in March of this year and the two-year delay is causing very negative impacts on our farm families. Our team is now focused on getting the plant into production for the 2024 season.

“We are extremely grateful to our joint venture partners, Royal A-ware for their patience over the past two years as this project successfully progressed through the planning and legal processes.”

Glanbia Ireland Chairman John Murphy said:

“We are hopeful that today’s ruling brings an end to uncertainty for farm families and to the significant extra costs, including income foregone by farmers, construction cost inflation, legal costs and business disruption that the delay has caused.

”Glanbia as an organisation is embedded in the rural community and our ethos has always been that dialogue with stakeholders is the best approach to addressing both opportunities and challenges. We are fully committed to sustainability and have launched our own ambitious Living Proof sustainability strategy, including committing to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We are actively engaged in the appropriate forums on Government policies to secure a sustainable future for the agricultural sector, through AgClimatise and the Food Vision 2030 Strategy.”

The Kilkenny Cheese joint venture was announced in January 2019 with the intention to enter production in 2022. Kilkenny County Council granted planning for the new cheese facility at Belview in November 2019.

Following an appeal, An Bord Pleanála granted permission in June 2020.  On 20 April 2021, the High Court upheld the planning approval granted by An Bord Pleanála. After an unsuccessful application for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal in July 2021, An Taisce subsequently brought the matter to the Supreme Court, which heard the case in January 2022.

As well as supporting the incomes of 4,500 farm families, the new Enterprise Ireland supported cheese production facility is expected to create 85 full time jobs and support 400 construction jobs in the south east.