RESIDENTS of Kill, Co Kildare, expressed "deep disappointment" yesterday at the refusal of the High Court to allow them to appeal the decision to permit the State's largest dump to be sited near their homes.
Mr Justice Barr ruled that the point of law on which they wanted to appeal to the Supreme Court had already been addressed in a previous case on appeal.
The Kill Residents' Group will now consider whether it will apply for a certificate to appeal to the European Court of Justice.
In 1992, Bord Pleanala granted planning permission to Dublin County Council to dump refuse from the city and county on the 150 acre site.
Mr Pat McNamara, chairman of Kill Residents' Group, said: "We are extremely disappointed. We feel that Bord Pleanala should never have given planning permission and it went against most of the advice given.
"We feel it is a totally flawed order of permission. Our only option now would appear to be the European Court. We feel very strongly that this matter will have to be pursued, as this site is totally unsuitable."
He said the question of an appeal to Europe would be considered. "We feel bound to protect our environment and to make a case preventing the siting of this dump in Kill.
Ms Mary McCann, another campaigner against the dump, said: "We are devastated. Dublin County Council said there was nowhere else to dump rubbish. There are plenty of places. Kill is unsuitable for such a dump.
"There will be a full meeting to discuss this. We are just gobsmacked because it is just so wrong."
She said that to site a dump in Kill was "going back into the dark ages." They intended continuing their fight to stop the project.
A spokesman for the residents', group denied that its legal costs' were about £400,000. The figure would be "considerable", but he did not think it would be anywhere near £400,000.