This article is from page 20 of the 2009-03-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
A COMPANY that received €80,000 in grant aid from Clare County Council this year has failed to pay the council €23,012 in commercial rates, it emerged yesterday.
Yesterday, Cllr Brian Meaney (Green) called on the council to pur- sue Kilkee Waterworld for the un- Or Nem AlKone
However, board member of the company, Cllr Patrick Keane (FF) said that the rates have not been paid as the company is awaiting details as to whether it is required to pay the Teoh
Cllr Keane said, “Kilkee Water- world is a community facility and we are waiting to learn if the facility does have to pay the rates.”
Established in the mid 1990s, Kil- kee Waterworld is integral to the tourism industry in Kilkee in attract- ing visitors to the area.
Cllr Keane said that 2008 “was a very good year where the bad weath- er was good for the centre.”
Shannon Swimming Pool and Leisure Centre Ltd also receives ۤ0,000 from the council and one of its directors, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), confirmed that it has paid its rates to the county council.
She said, “We have always paid our rates. It is a substantial amount. We might not like it, but it has to be paid.”
Cllr Meaney said that the council should now pursue Kilkee Water- world and no exceptions should be
made due to fact that the company’s board has council representation on 1
Cllr Meaney said, “That legisla- tion is quite clear and community facilities are not exempt from rates. I am extemely unhappy over Kilkee Waterworld’s non-payment of the rates.”
Asked would he vote for Kilkee Waterworld not to receive the grant aid of €80,000 if he was aware that the company was not paying its rates, Cllr Meaney said, “It’s quite possible
that Kilkee Waterword needed the grant aid in order to pay the rates.”
Three years ago, Kilkee Water- world faced the threat of being struck off by the Companies Office by fail- ing to file its returns.
The cash-strapped company did eventually file the accounts, stating that it was late in filing the accounts as it did not have the required €2,500 to do so.