An Bord Pleanála says an increase in judicial reviews being taken is the reason for the delay to the South Kerry Greenway hearing.
Last week, the High Court acceded to An Bord Pleanála's request to delay hearing the two legal challenges to its granting of permission for the 32-kilometre greenway.
Kerry County Council agreed to the request.
A judicial review is being taken by two parties; these are environmentalist Peter Sweetman from Rossport, Co Mayo and James Clifford, a farmer from Killurley West, Caherciveen, while the Greenway Information Group, which is made up of some landowners whose holdings will be affected, have lodged the second application.
A provisional hearing date had been set for March 9th, but An Bord Pleanála sought an adjournment in the High Court, which was granted.
In response to Radio Kerry, An Bord Pleanála says it's recently experienced a major spike in the number of judicial reviews being taken against its decisions.
The planning appeals authority says it has been necessary in this case - and in a small number of others - to ask the High Court for extra time, adding this was a last resort.
An Bord Pleanála says it told the court it acknowledges the delay, but it was in difficulty and needed time to prepare its defence.
However, it says it didn't need an additional four months to prepare and that date is due to the court's workload.
The hearing date has been pushed back to June 29th.
