Councillors Michael Shannon (FF) and Joe Killeen (FF) called on Clare County Council on Tuesday to outline their proposed tourism offering in West Clare.
By Michael Fitzgerald
The councillors stressed the importance of bus connectivity to connect the entirety of North and West Clare in a tourist loop encompassing locations such as Ennistymon, Lahinch, Doolin and The Cliffs of Moher.
The importance of a bus service such as this to young people was also emphasised as councillors praised the local link services that have recently grown in the area and spoke positively of establishing an online ticketing service for tourists and greater emphasis to be placed on the usage of leap cards in the area.
Cllr Joe Garrihy also pushed for greater environmental investment in Corofin and Kilfenora. The councillor stated that “direct intervention by the state” was needed to capitalise on the potentially “game changing” appeal of Clare’s “amazing attractions”.
The importance of a VAT reduction was also raised as a top priority for tourism in the area as West Clare businesses begin preparing for the busy tourist season ahead. Director of Tourism Development Siobhan McNulty as well as Councillor Rita McInerney also proposed a significant marketing campaign to be set up following successful tender of the bus service.
Not all are happy with the proposed developments, however. On January 21 over 100 people attended a meeting at Fanore church to voice their concern at the decision to move the 350 bus route away from the village and replace it with a shuttle bus service.
