A controversial drug rehab centre, linked to the Church of Scientology, has been given the green light to open its doors in the Meath village of Ballivor.

The High Court has quashed a ruling by An Bord Pleanala this morning regarding the €9m Narconon centre.

The proposed 56-bed facility has been subject to widespread opposition from residents in Ballivor who made repeated calls for the Government to bring forward legislation to regulate rehab centres like these.

Narconon, which has close links to Scientology, promotes the theories of it founder L Ron Hubbard including the ‘Purification Rundown’ to rid the body of toxins.

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The controversial procedure involves ingesting a high dose of vitamins before entering a sauna for up to five hours.

In a judicial review taken by Narconon Trust, Mr Justice Mark Heslin has overturned the planning appeals board's decision in 2018 and ruled that Narconon did not need planning permission for change of use into the centre at the old school in Ballivor.

The facility was originally intended to be used as a nursing home.

However Claire O'Mara of the Ballivor Community Group said although they were 'overwhelmingly disappointed' by the decision, they would fight on if they can.

"I'm gutted," she said.

"We literally put our heart and soul into it for over two years and this is like a kick in the teeth to us.

"The Judge said we basically asked the same questions to An Bord Pleanala as Narconon asked Meath County Council in its original decision but expected to get different answers.

"We will now have to study the 72 page judgement but as far as I can gather An Bord Pleanala can appeal this judgement. We will also look into the possibility of taking our own judicial review, depending on time deadlines.

"But if there's a will, there's a way and there is a will so we will fight on if we can,” she said.

Local TD and campaigner against the facility Peadar Tóibín described the court’s decision as a “terrible result” for Ballivor.

“It means a totally unregulated drug rehabilitation centre will open up in a small rural village in Meath,” he said.

“I questioned the Minister for Health as to whether there was any regulation or licence for the regulation or inspection of residential treatment or rehabilitation centres specialising in addiction.

“He stated there is currently no provision in legislation for the regulation or inspection of residential treatment or rehabilitation centres specialising in addiction.

"The Department went further and highlighted that there is no evidence to suggest that the drug treatment programme, provided by the organisation I had referred to them, would meet any of the criteria set out by the HSE for agencies that provide addiction services in its behalf.”

Mr Toibin added that it appears that anyone can set up a residential treatment facility without accreditation and regulation in Ireland.

“To me this is a major gap in the state’s responsibility to protect the most vulnerable people.

"People in the grip of addiction are often at their most vulnerable. Over 80pc of people presenting with substance abuse suffer with anxiety, depression and have backgrounds of trauma.

"The State has a duty of care and must protect these people. The only way to stop these unregulated organisations is for legislation to be created to develop minimum standards for all residential treatment or rehabilitation centers specializing in addiction,” he said.

In a statement, Narconon Trust welcomed the decision, saying it is looking forward to helping Ireland "fight the scourge of addiction".

"In a country where the drug crisis is exploding with 65pc of Irish professionals reporting some addiction experience, effective drug rehabilitation is urgently needed.

"Narconon is a drug-free, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme with proven success, operating for more than 50 years across 18 countries around the world, including in the UK where Narconon has been registered as a charity since 1974," it said.

Works began on the building and were nearing completion when An Bord Pleanala overturned that decision with their own ruling, which was quashed today.

In January 2019, the High Court granted a stay on the Board's declaration and also granted an application for leave to bring judicial review proceedings against An Bord Pleanala.

A spokesperson from the HSE told Independent.ie that the "Narconon approach" has not been endorsed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in the USA, and has no standing among medical professionals in Ireland.

The Department of Health stated that there is no evidence to suggest that the drug treatment programme would meet any of the criteria set out by the HSE for agencies that provide addiction services on its behalf.

"The organisation’s drug treatment programme comprises a series of interventions with limited or no basis in a scientific understanding of human physiology and brain functioning," it said.

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