The State faces a multi-million pound compensation claim following the loss of its appeal in the Supreme Court this morning regarding the ownership of the Great Blasket Island. The Supreme Court has ruled that the 1989 An Blascaoid Mór National Historic Park Act was invalid. The Minister for the Islands has expressed regret today's decision, which prevents the State acquiring lands on the great Blasket Island for a national park.
The 1989 Act was introduced ten years ago by the then Taoiseach Charles Haughey. However, the state only owned a fraction of the island's 1100 acres - four individuals owned the vast majority of the acreage. Normally, a compulsory purchase order guarantees the State entitlement to land with proper compensation. But according to the High Court, the State discriminated against the four land owners because their land was to be purchased while land owned by island natives would be left untouched.
Both the Supreme Court and the High Court said that there should be no discrimination based on the pedigree of citizens. The owners of the land said that they would now seek to be compensated for the years when they could not utilise the land, but added that any compensation would be used for proper development of the island and restoration of traditional homes.
The Supreme Court said tjat it was concerned that it had taken 50 days to hear the case in the High Court, and they only allowed lawyers to charge fees for 70% of the case.
