The environment watchdog accused the council of persistently wasting time and resources advocating the construction of "inappropriately located developments" and risking the imposition of heavy fines due to possible breaches of European legislation.

The stinging rebuke comes in the wake of a decision by An Bord Pleanala to refuse permission for a 30m, 120-bed spa hotel at Doon, near Boyle . . . a proposal which had received enthusiastic endorsement from local councillors.

An Taisce described the planning board's decision as "a further indictment of Roscommon County Council's legal competence" in relation to EU environmental law.

It claimed the decision to refuse permission for the hotel vindicated the stance adopted by local residents who actively campaigned against the development, and the role of An Taisce itself in opposing "inadequately considered local authority decisions".

A spokesman for An Taisce said: "This case has exposed serious deficiencies with regard to Roscommon county council's compliance with its own development plan, the protection of national monuments under Irish law, as well as EU directives on Environmental Impact Assessment and wildlife habitats."

He pointed out that four other developments in the Lough Key area sanctioned by the council were subsequently rejected as inappropriate by the planning board.

"It is regrettable that Roscommon County Council has so ill-advisedly allowed so much time and resources to be consumed in this and other inappropriately located developments around Lough Key in recent years, while at the same time failing to act strategically in directing hotel development to locations which would comply with European and national law and the relevant Local Development Plans."

The council last July granted planning permission to AOL Developments of Castlerea for the construction of the 120-bed spa hotel including a leisure and spa suite, meeting rooms, bar, dining room, kitchen and a function/conference room.

Permission was also granted for a 134-space car park.

Local politicians and business leaders in Boyle supported the project identifying it as the type of essential development needed in order to grow the county's tourism potential.

An Bord Pleanala last week turned down the project pointing out that it would "seriously injure visual amenities of the area and would conflict with the policies of the (county) development plan, which seek to protect Lough Key."