*C&C Executive Travel.
A CLARE BUS company has pleaded guilty for unauthorised use of lands at Tiermaclance for the storage of buses.
A judge has told a court that there are “huge costs and they continue to mount” for a bus firm over its continued unauthorised use to lands at Tiermaclane outside Ennis for the storage of buses.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett made his comment after C&C Executive Travel Ltd confirmed a guilty plea arising from a planning breach where the firm has been using lands at Ballyveskil, Tiermaclane, Ennis, Co Clare for the storage of buses.
Counsel for C&C Executive Travel Ltd, Thomas Wallace O’Donnell BL said that he was confirming the guilty plea commenting, “We are in default.”
However, Judge Gabbett granted a request for an adjournment by Mr Wallace O’Donnell in the case to allow C&C Executive Travel Ltd to secure an alternative location for the buses or make a planning application for the storage of buses at the Tiermaclane site.
Judge Gabbett told Mr Wallace O’Donnell BL that the problem with the Tiermaclane site “is that it is on a bad bend”.
Mr Wallace O’Donnell was seeking a nine month adjournment in the case but Judge Gabbett granted only an adjournment to May.
Mr Wallace O’Donnell told the court that “my client has been endeavouring to regularise matters and is trying to find somewhere else.”
He said, “It is very difficult to find a place that would be planning appropriate for the storage of buses”.
Mr Wallace O’Donnell said that his client is adopting a two pronged approach.
He said that his client is exploring if something can be done with the current site “and this on foot of a meeting with the principal of the firm and County Council planning officers last week”.
He said, “The other approach is that there is a site where the company and another entity might apply together in respect of buses and truck in respect of the other company”.
Mr Wallace O’Donnell said that that would also require a planning application and he said that he has explained this to solicitor for the Council, Sarah Jane Whyte.
Mr Wallace O’Donnell said that he is not saying that there will be two planning applications.
Mr Wallace O’Donnell said that he was looking for a nine months adjournment in the case to advance having the planning situation regularised.
Judge Gabbett asked, “What about the costs here? There are huge costs in this already and they continue to mount.”
Judge Gabbett said that every time the Council goes to the site it is costing €500.
Mr Wallace O’Donnell said that his client has already paid the council €1,911 in costs.
Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to May 8th.
