*Kilrush Marina. 

SWIFT MOVEMENT is needed to appoint a business development officer to maximise the potential of the maritime training college in Kilrush.

In a joint motion before the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) and Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) asked for a Designated Active Company (DAC) be established by Clare County Council and for funding to be sourced to hire an operations officer “to deliver the maritime training college project in Kilrush Marina, and to liaise with the off shore renewable sector to maximise the potential opportunities presented by the development of off shore renewable energy to the communities of West Clare”.

A DAC was set up in 2018 under the name of the Clare Maritime Economic Zone (Clare MEZ) DAC) as part of the application for funding under the Enterprise Ireland – Regional Enterprise Development Fund.

This resulted in a successful funding application for resources to hire a business manager yet no appointment has been made in the four years since.

Securing €3.5m under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF) was “the biggest announcement since Moneypoint in the 1980s,” Cllr Lynch remarked. He said the plans for the maritime training centre and offshore renewable research base represented “a huge project for West Clare”. He continued, “The project speaks for itself, its potential is absolutely massive”.

Kilrush based Lynch was adamant the Council cannot rest on its laurels regarding the project. “Just because we got good news doesn’t mean this project is dead in the water. We’re not here to administer funds, we’re here to provide services. This project cannot sit there, it needs to start now, just because we have it in West Clare doesn’t mean it won’t happen elsewhere. We need to get timelines on it”.

Up to €1.75m was set aside for the granting of the DAC in 2018 with €375,000 of this to deal with the employment of a business development officer, Cllr Murphy recounted. He said if the positive announcement of RRDF funding had not come to fruition “we’d be roaring and shouting to see why this person was not in place”. He felt a hiring was “imperative” and he equated it with the “significant outcomes for the town of Ennis” since Kevin Corrigan was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Ennis 2040 DAC.

Murphy said the DAC needed to be activated “because it’s been sitting on the shelf”, money from Enterprise Ireland had to be drawn down to procure the employment of a business development officer and to lodge planning permission quickly. “I cannot think of any single bigger opportunity that West Clare has at its feet, this is rural development at its core and it has the capacity to deliver jobs directly very quickly”.

An office must now be established to lead the project, Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) stated. “I’d an idea the grant was on the way, we’ve the wherewithal to make an office available”.

Director of Rural Development, Leonard Cleary advised the meeting that it would be a “practical approach” to invite his Economic Development counterpart, Liam Conneally to address a future meeting of the West Clare MD.

“We have to learn, four years pushing the buck doesn’t make sense,” Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) commented. He said offshore energy was the big topic at a meeting of the Southern Regional Assembly this month with issues like cumbersome planning and “objecting for the sake of objecting” raised. “Red tape has been choking this county for too long,” he added.

Positivity must be exuded by local representatives, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) felt. “We are in difficult times, we’re looking at negative headlines the whole time, we need to be positive and look for hope, this gives us hope for the future. Urgency is going to be important”.

Kilrush’s Marina “is architecturally a jewel,” Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) commented, “it is a huge asset to Kilrush and it will bring business to a wonderful part of Clare”. He added, “We get bad publicity but this is good publicity for North and West Clare”. He also attended the Southern Regional Assembly meeting with Cllr Kelly, “it is the most approrpriate site in Europe for offshore floating wind devices, a rising tide lifts all boats, may further developments come off the back of it”.

Renewable energy may not be the making of the plans, Cllr Lynch responded. “This project can survive in full capacity without renewables, there’s other markets out there. The cruise industry can get training there. There might be no renewable developments off it but this project must go ahead”.

Related News

jarlath burns 1-2
GAA President Burns to maintain Scariff Harbour Festival's links with Northern Ireland & GAA
michael mcnamara 3
AI offers generational opportunity for Mid-West to become Ireland's digital home - McNamara
shannon airport departures 1-2
Passenger numbers up 7% to 1.04m for first half of 2025 at Shannon Airport
shannon airport fencing 2
Shannon Airport install new security fencing following recent breaches

Advertisement

Latest News
shannon airport departures 1-2
Passenger numbers up 7% to 1.04m for first half of 2025 at Shannon Airport
shannon airport fencing 2
Shannon Airport install new security fencing following recent breaches
1 DSC_9466
'There's no way we're not going to go again' - O'Donnell says no decisions made but exits from Clare camp unlikely
Killaloe-bridge
Trial pedestrianisation period announced for Killaloe to Ballina Bridge
brendan o'mara
Two Gardaí working full-time on case of €10m drug seizure involving Meelick ex Ryanair pilot
Premium
monaghan v clare 29-06-25 roisin considine jennifer duffy 1
Monaghan make their mark & send Clare out of ladies football championship
éire óg v doora barefield 29-06-25 cusack cup 1
Éire Óg win Cusack Cup for second time with dominant extra time display
waterford v clare minor 28-06-25 liam murphy gearoid o'shea james o'donnell 1
Déise deserving winners over Clare in All-Ireland minor final
tipperary v clare camogie 28-06-25 niamh costigan roisin begley 1
Tipp thump Clare but Carmody's charges still have All-Ireland quarter-final to look forward to
laurel lodge 07-11-23 3
Laurel Lodge resident further remanded in custody for alleged assault of retired judge

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.

Advertisement