*Leo Varadkar. Photograph: Paul Corey
AN TAOISEACH, Leo Varadkar (FG) is to visit Co Clare this weekend.
On Saturday morning, the Taoiseach will be launching a report by the Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce in Ardnacrusha. It is anticipated that the Taoiseach will stay in West Clare for the weekend.
Potential for the Shannon Estuary to become Ireland’s prime location for offshore renewable energy and a key transportation hub has been highlighted in the report by the task force. It outlines how the region can capitalise on the renewable energy transition. The task force calls for significant investment in the ports of Moneypoint and Foynes. It also recommends a new auction for floating wind power in 2024 and identifies industrial locations for clean energy sectors such as hydrogen.
A potential visit by the Taoiseach to Loop Head was alluded to by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) at Tuesday’s sitting of the West Clare Municipal District.
He had requested Clare County Council to extend to provide road markings on the R487 to Loop Head Lighthouse “on the road recently resurfaced to provide a safe pedestrian way in the interest of health and safety”.
Senior executive engineer in the West Clare MD, Alan Kennelly advised that the road marking contractors would be asked to carry out the request when they were next in West Clare. “We will also provide a number of the ‘vulnerable pedestrians’ signs together with the required supplementary information plates”.
“When, was it Red Hurley than sang the song,” Cllr Keating stated in response. “We’ve a VIP coming this weekend, is it too much to expect it would be done in time for him,” he asked. This prompted Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) to respond, “ask the VIP to bring the men to do the work”.
