This article is from page 18 of the 2008-04-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
has learned that Clare County Council has with- held payments from the consultants overseeing the planning of the multi- million-euro Lahinch Promenade Development because of continued delays in the project. It now also looks certain that con- struction work on the development will be ongoing throughout the busy
Summer season, despite guarantees given that this would not be the OF Ton
‘Unfortunately, it seems to me that we are still some distance away from the development actually starting,” said Cllr Richard Nagle (FF).
“I requested at the last local area meeting that the meetings with the stockholders would take place as soon as possible. We are now in the month of April and we are told that
this has not been done.
“We were told that this was to hap- pen in September 2007, then we were told January 2008, and now we are still looking at an uncertain time. I welcome the construction work on the lifeguard centre but this is just getting started and will take at least 14 weeks. This is going to be a se- vere hindrance throughout the tour- ism season. We have already heard that the playground is being held up
because of this.
“I know myself that payment has been delayed to the consultants be- cause of the delays and they have not been helpful. We are sick and tired of being fobbed off. We have been wait- ing for five years and this is not good enough.”
Questions were also raised about the willingness of Clare County Council to push the project forward.
“Realistically, nothing has _ hap- pened in the last five years on this and all the responsibility does not lie with the consultants. If a project is not driven, it doesn’t get anywhere, and this project hasn’t been driven. It is looking like we are going to end up doing work during the peak tour- ist season, which is wholly unaccept- able,’ said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG).
The role of the council in driving the project forward was defended by Senior Executive Engineer, Hubert eek
“There might be an impression there that this is not being driven by the council and that is not really fair. An awtul lot of work is being done on this and I wanted to make it clear what is going on,” he said.
The consultants have said that the photomontage of the project will be completed in the coming days and a meeting will then be held with Sea- world and the Golf Club.