*Helen Downes.
SHANNON CHAMBER have expressed confidence the transfer of tourism sites from Shannon Heritage to Clare County Council will be seamless.
At a special meeting of Clare County Council last week, elected members of the local authority unanimously voted in favour of accepting a Government offer of €6m to take over the running of Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Knappogue Castle & Medieval Banquets, Crauggownen Bronze Age Park and a retail outlet at the Cliffs of Moher.
Following a due diligence report, the Council requested funding to the sum of €15m. The €6m sanctioned is for 2023 alone with further top-ups expected to bring the figure beyond €10m.
CEO of Shannon Chamber, Helen Downes welcomed the decision of councillors to santion approval. “Shannon Chamber has continuously lobbied Government to enable a successful transition of the Shannon Heritage sites to Clare County Council. As a chamber representing over 330 members extending to 19,500 employees in the region, we have expressed to Government and the region’s elected representatives the pivotal role the heritage sites play in the economy of the Mid-West region, in attracting tourists to the area and in driving passenger traffic through Shannon Airport,” she stated.
Ms Downes added, “The approval of funding to enable their transition to the Council is most welcome as these sites could not be neglected at a time when there has never been a greater need to develop all our resources for economic development, especially in the West of Ireland. We look forward to the seamless transfer of Shannon Heritage staff, and the heritage sites, to Clare County Council, with the formal consent of the Minister”.
“We thank The Shannon Airport Group for their stewardship of these valuable assets, and the highly successful marketing of these sites since their transfer from Shannon Development. We wish Clare County Council every success in their new role as guardians of such highly important national heritage sites”.
