This article is from page 2 of the 2008-04-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
CLARE County Council has taken the first step in seeking to develop a large-scale marine-related industry in the Shannon estuary.
One of the primary aims of the council’s enterprise strategy, launched on Thursday, is to under- take a feasibility study on the estab- lishment of a Shannon estuary deep sea port in Clare.
But before the study is undertaken, the council will have to bring the key stakeholders together to discuss, identify and raise the resources re-
quired to undertake the necessary research. The study will investigate if the north shore of the estuary can attract large cargo and other vessels and develop Clare as a marine-based Keyes tsi alex sltloy
Long-time critic of the council’s failure to facilitate industry on the Clare shore of the estuary, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) yesterday welcomed the initiative but said it would be an empty slogan unless it is followed through by action.
He said the Clare County Develop- ment Plan was the single biggest ene- my of the development of the estuary
on the Clare side.
“A necessary prerequisite before any action is undertaken is that the area along the estuary is rezoned for maritime development. The present crisis in relation to the non-develop- ment of the estuary has its roots in a long-held belief that the southern side of the estuary was for industry, while tourism and aquaculture for the northern shore.
‘That has now proven to be wrong”, he declared.
Stating that the Shannon Foynes Port Company had “zero interest” in developing the Clare side of the estu-
ary, the Lissycasey councillor added that the council’s planning depart- ment needed to come on line in rela- tion to the initiative.
‘There is no point in one arm of the council doing one thing and another arms doing another.”
He claimed that the plan also faced an additional obstacle of Shannon Development being anxious to sell the remainder of its landholding at Ballylongford on the southern side of the estuary.
“Shannon Development is_ not putting Clare’s interest first. They are not even on a par,’ he said.