*Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND). Photograph: Chris Copley

A CLARE TD has warned the local authority of the potential implications of transferring land in its ownership to the Ennis 2040 DAC.

Business personnel within Ennis are among those to express concern that the ownership of Abbey Street car park could be transferred from Clare County Council as part of plans to progress the Ennis 2040 Strategy.

Abbey Street car park is listed as one of the transformational sites of the Ennis 2040 Strategy with a mixed-use development a future aspiration which will result in the loss of up to 75 car spaces.

Speaking at a public meeting held in the Temple Gate Hotel, William Cahir a partner of Cahir & Co. Solicitors admitted he was “really concerned that an intended motion to transfer the ownership of Abbey Street car park will happen before September”.

Cahir stated, “This land is going to be transferred to private limited company, there is an urgency to engage with all county councillors, I am appreciative to see who is see here and actively engaging. The vote of elected members will be completed and therefore at that juncture, the lands will be transferred.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy Michael McNamara (IND) noted recent comments from senior Council management to pause plans for both the Abbey St and Francis Street developments. “Of course they can’t demolish the Francis Street cottages because they have no planning permission and objections would bring it to An Bord Pleanála but they nearly succeeded in bringing them under the radar and they also planned to transfer Abbey Street as fast as possible before any furore starts”.

McNamara noted that Ennis 2040 was a private company owned by the Council. “Private business is what is great and pays for rates and services, I have a problem with the transfer of public property to enable private wealth, it is fundamentally wrong”.

Deputy McNamara said he met with COO of Ennis 2040, Kevin Corrigan and flagged concerns on the impact to a large site of public real estate. “It can be improved but to transfer in a private big company like Penneys, I have no problem with them more power to them but we don’t need them in Abbey St”. He added, “I would be very cautious about transferring anything from Clare County Council because once it’s gone, it’s gone”.

Related News

garda hat
33 year old said 'I will bite your f**king jaw off’ before biting Ennis Garda
mary howard siobhán landy 1-2
Ennis Tidy Towns teams up with Sweet n Green
ennis garda station 1
Four caravans seized with drugs & weapons by Divisional Crime Task Force in Ennis
SONY DSC
Kilmihil man denies making anonymous Facebook posts about local Garda
Latest News
5
Baltray Golf Club the Beast in the East
7
A stitch in time saves nine: proactive strategies against workplace bullying
éire óg v kilmurry ibrickane 27-10-24 ciaran russell amy 1
Russell & Éire Óg have 'unfinished business in Munster'
Ennis Golf Club
Big entry for ladies October league at Ennis
feakle v sixmilebridge 28-10-24 eibhear quilligan 1
'We hurled like we wanted it more' - Quilligan caps off fantastic year with Feakle
Premium
garda hat
33 year old said 'I will bite your f**king jaw off’ before biting Ennis Garda
truagh clonlara v sixmilebridge 30-08-24 30
Truagh/Clonlara through to first Munster senior club final
Conor Tevlin tackles Colin Riordan 26Oct24
Riordan revels in double dual success with Wolfe Tones
feakle v cratloe 05-10-24 martin daly 2
Senior success is what Feakle have always been dreaming of - Daly
kilmurry ibrickane v lissycasey 17-08-24 david egan 2
'We never recovered from the goal' - Éire Óg green flag quenched Kilmurry Ibrickane's energy

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.

Scroll to Top