A Co Roscommon couple has failed to persuade a court that their neighbours’ use of fertiliser harmed their health, according to *The Irish Times*.
Judge Senan Allen of the Court of Appeal declined to grant an injunction that would have created a 100m “pesticide free safety zone” for Marlena Aurich and Scott Manning, noting they had presented their case “passionately” and framed it as a “matter of life and death”, reports Breaking News.
He said there was no evidence backing their claim of “permitted unlawful use of pesticides”. The couple “could say no more” than that Michael Conroy, a suckler farmer, and Patrick Duffy had used pesticides, which both acknowledged using in a limited and regulated way.
Allen found no fault with the High Court’s conclusion that the couple failed to demonstrate any arguable causal link between the neighbouring landowners’ actions and their medical issues, reports Breaking News.
He added that certain accusations made by Aurich and Manning about the neighbours’ families were “frivoulous and vexatious”.
The couple, who live on a one-acre property in Kiltybranks, Co Roscommon, had taken a High Court case against neighbouring landowners Conroy, Duffy and Patrick McCann, along with the Minister for Agriculture and a Department of Agriculture official, reports Breaking News.
In his written judgment, Allen noted the couple claimed their neighbours were “maliciously administering poisons” and “endangering our lives”.
They also alleged that the Minister and departmental official misused their authority regarding pesticide regulation, allowing “unlimited use” and causing personal injury, reports Breaking News.
Aurich claimed she suffered severe pesticide poisoning and attended Mayo University Hospital in early 2020, where she said doctors ignored her “statement and truth”.
Allen said her belief that she had experienced life-threatening pesticide poisoning was not supported by medical professionals at the hospital, a respiratory clinic, or her GP, reports Breaking News.
Manning claimed he developed endocrine problems after being exposed to slurry spreading in March 2025.
The couple said they sought assistance from gardaí, Roscommon County Council and the Department of Agriculture, but were dissatisfied with the responses, reports Breaking News.
Conroy stated he was entitled to use fertiliser for his farming work and said inspections by the Department of Agriculture found no issues.
He also pointed out there was no medical evidence linking the couple’s health complaints or the deaths of their two pets to poisoning, reports Breaking News.
Duffy said he used pesticides in a limited way for weed control, in accordance with the law.
He argued that the claims made against him were based on personal beliefs rather than medical evidence, reports Breaking News.
McCann did not attend court, and the case against him could not proceed as the claimants failed to prove he had been properly served with legal documents.
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