This article is from page 24 of the 2008-06-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 24 JPG
PUBLIC opposition to plans to build on the post office field is mounting, a meeting of Ennis Town Council has heard.
Councillors at last Wednesday’s meeting warned of protests against any moves to alter the post office field from its current status as a greenfield site.
There were renewed calls to ex- plore alternative sites including the de Valera Library and the post office yard.
However, Town manager Jom Coughlan told the meeting that an independent report had already rec- ommended against re-developing the CHUM ESN Le) EPMA SI Kos
He also confirmed that while En- nis Town Council would manage the new library, Clare County Council would incur the cost of hiring con- sultants.
Ennis Town Council is looking to develop a new two-storey library at an in-fill site between the post office and St Columba’s Church, Bindon Nl stslel
Independent councillor Frankie Neylon said people in Ennis were opposed to developing the post of- fice field.
He said, “Why was it called a land- fill site between the post office field and the church. As far as I know there has been no vote to change the status of the field. The people out there don’t want it changed. People
are angry. I would like to see the public involved at an early stage.”
Cllr Neylon said the de Valera li- brary should be re-developed. “Why wasn’t the present site of the library considered or the old museum’? There are plenty of areas. You could Open up the museum and extend the library. There is plenty of room.”
Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn said he would vote against re-zoning the land.
“The site isn’t zoned for library use. I wouldn’t be voting to have it re-zoned. There was a public consul- tation process two years ago and the public voted overwhelmingly against it. We are going down the road of protest and I would be supporting the protests.”
Councillors agreed in November 2007 to appoint a design team for the library project and prepare a plan outlining any future use of the field.
Mr Coughlan said Ennis needed a new library. “Its to the benefit of the town to have a new and better library in the town. The public consultation process hasn’t even started…If the public consultation process deter- mines that the post office field isn’t suitable, then we won’t proceed.”
Fianna Fail councillor Tom Glynn urged the council to re-consider a site closer to the post office building. Mr Coughlan said he was unsure whether such a site was available. “If anyone has a suitable site that they know is available, they can suggest it to us.”