A school in Greystones, Co. Wicklow has launched legal action over the proposed location of a McDonald's restaurant.

The location of the proposed McDonald's is less than 100 metres from the front entrance of the school, and they felt that spot was chosen as a result of its proximity to three separate schools that have around 1,800 pupils.

The board of management of Temple Carrig secondary school, one of the three schools in the area, have brought the legal action before the court, after their appeal against the decision by Wicklow County Council to grant planning permission to the restaurant failed. 

Their case argues that An Bord Pleanála failed to account for the national policy which aims to reduce obesity amongst children when they granted the fast food chain permission to open a drive thru restaurant at the Blacklion Neighbourhood Centre. 

In a statement, the board of management said that they had today been granted leave by the High Court to issue judicial review against An Bord Pleanála and that they had "taken this step in light of its responsibilities under the Education Act to provide for the students of the school and on the basis of strong legal advice that the decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant permission for the proposed development was legally flawed". 

Via RTÉ