*Security at the entrance to Áras Contae An Chláir on Wednesday morning. Photograph: Tom Micks
CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL ARE forking out a reported €400 daily to a security firm after it beefed up its operations Áras Contae An Chláir in the past week.
Security has been placed at the entrance of Áras Contae An Chláir to monitor who can gain access to the car park of the Council’s headquarters.
This follows the arrival at the beginning of February of an illegal encampment in the car park of Waterpark House which houses the office of the Ennis Municipal District staff and other sections of the local authority.
Extra measures have now been taken at the Áras to prevent any encampments cropping up on Council owned property.
Internal sources within the Council have told The Clare Echo that the local authority is paying up to €400 daily to the security firm at the gate of the Áras with the security personnel estimated to earn €100 per day.
Based on these figures, the Council will have spent €2000 by today (Thursday) with the personnel on duty since last week. The arrangement is expected to be a temporary one.
No figures on the spend were provided by the Council when questioned by The Clare Echo. In a statement, a spokesperson for the local authority outlined, “Security and extra security are sometimes required at different local authority locations around the county for various precautionary reasons and on a temporary basis. As these undertakings are considered and implemented under “security”, unfortunately I am advised that I cannot share any specific details. Áras Contae An Chláir is open for business as usual”.
