*Monday will see a special meeting of Clare County Council held.
A FORMAL MEETING of Clare County Council will be held this Monday where it is expected the local authority will announce its intention to accept the deal offered by Government to transfer the Shannon Heritage sites.
On Tuesday, Cabinet approval for €6m in exchequer funding for 2023 was agreed to facilitate the transfer of the four Shannon Heritage sites in the county to the local authority.
Elected members of Clare County Council were briefed on the funding package at a lunch held in The Old Ground Hotel on Wednesday afternoon. Councillors told The Clare Echo that the meeting was “very positive” and expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached.
While the Wednesday gathering was held behind closed doors, the next engagement on the subject is scheduled for this coming Monday afternoon where the Council is expected to announce its intention to accept the Government’s offer.
Clare County Council have outlined plans to divide the county’s tourism offering in three and will brand as Clare Tourism North, Clare Tourism West and Clare Tourism East for the entities under their ownership, should councillors accept the offer.
An addition of the Shannon Heritage sites will see Clare Tourism East have the largest portfolio Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Knappogue Castle & Medieval Banquets, Crauggownen Bronze Age Park joining Inis Cealtra. Clare Tourism North accounts for the Cliffs of Moher with Loop Head Lighthouse and the Vandeleur Walled Gardens included in Clare Tourism West.
Addressing elected members, Head of Tourism with the Council, Deirdre O’Shea detailed that under its tourism offering the Council has the potential to become a leading “enabler” to attract private enterprise to increase the amount of bednights in Clare.
A general manager with expertise in marketing is to be recruited to take over the Clare Tourism East mantle.
A due diligence report submitted by Clare County Council last July identified that a sum of €15m would be needed to support the upgrading and maintenance of the sites for three years. The sum announced for 2023 is €6m but with potential for further funding in 2024 and 2025, the total amount is expected to surpass €10m.
Two years ago, the Council was asked to commence a due diligence process to facilitate the transfer of Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Craggaunowen Bronze Age Park, Knappogue Castle & Walled Garden, and the Cliffs of Moher Experience retail unit from Shannon Airport Group.
Over the last 22 months, the process has been far from smooth sailing with former Taoiseach Micheál Martin (FF) telling the Council last February to “get on with it” when asked about the transfer. The local authority in December released a critical statement where it said it could not proceed without “real and meaningful support from Government,” this was released after they were offered one sixth of the sum sought.
Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) was confident Clare County Council would accept the deal put before them. “I am really pleased that Government has made a significant offer to assist Clare County Council take over the sites. It has been an ongoing saga for over two years, I recognise the commitment of the Council, they have had tough negotiations, they played hardball and rightly so. They held out and worked hard for the people of Clare”.
Government are committed to ensure the transfer does not drain the existing Council resources, Senator Dooley noted. “The workers will have the same rights, the Council will be taking over the businesses and that is really good, it is really positive for the tourism offering in the county”.
“The Council and its Elected Members now need to be given the time and the space to consider this support package and I look forward to the outcome of this process. It’s key that these measures do not detract in any way from local authorities’ core functions, which I am sure will be considered by the Elected representatives and the Council executive in the coming days,” concluded Deputy McNamara.
