'People's livelihoods at risk': Decision on opening of Skellig Michael to tourists due this week
A HIGH COURT judge will decide this week whether to lift a suspension on boating permits for ferries to and from the UNESCO heritage island Skellig Michael, saying the case requires top priority as 'people's livelihoods are at risk'.
The permits have not been issued while legal proceedings are before the courts in the form of a judicial review of the tendering process.
At the High Court today, Justice Garret Simons said he was 'staggered' by the assertion made by lawyers for the Office of Public Works (OPW) that it would need six months to prepare the case. He ordered it to be heard next month.
Two companies, which were unsuccessful in their applications for the 2025 season, have made a judicial review application, resulting in a delay to the granting of permits. The season runs from May to the end of September.
The OPW ran a competition in late 2024 to award 15 boating permits for summer 2025 serving the monastic island, which was chosen as a film location for the Star Wars movies, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
However, in April 2025, two unsuccessful participants in the competition brought High Court proceedings challenging the outcome.
The OPW has said that under Irish and EU law, they were then precluded from issuing permits for the 2025 summer season until legal proceedings were resolved.
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Skellig Michael Boat Trips and Atlantic Endeavour Limited both dispute the process underpinning the granting of the licences, alleging it to be 'deficient' and 'without transparency' and have been granted permission for the challenge.
At the High Court today, David Dodd BL, for the plaintiffs, told Justice Simons that nobody wanted to prevent boats from visiting the island.
He said permits could be granted by the court in an interim fashion, as the issuing of a one-season permit was not a 'contract', as contended by the OPW. He said his clients are happy for the suspension to be lifted.
Justice Simons asked Andrew Beck SC, for the OPW, why it would take six months to prepare for what the judge described as 'the most straightforward case of competition for licences'.
Beck said there was discovery of documents needed, amendments to make and a possible issue around cross-examination.
Justice Simons said he was 'staggered' that the case would take up to six months to get on and that there were 'livelihoods' at stake.
The judge said the court would give the case 'top priority', adding that the court had 'gone out of its way' to facilitate an early trial.
Justice Simons said he would rule on Thursday of this week on whether to lift the suspension of the permits.
He adjourned the substantive hearing of the judicial review to 21 July.
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