This article is from page 8 of the 2014-07-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
COUNCILLORS clashed during last Friday’s special meeting of Clare County Council about a proposal to allow a “mostly English owned” company to build a crematorium in Clarecastle which the local authority had recently turned down plans by “one of our own” to construct a similar facility in Shannon.
Independent councillor Ann Norton warned that Clare County Council must be seen not to “discriminate” against any proposal which could potentially bring development and jobs into the county.
His comments came in the wake of an outburst by Cllr James Breen (Ind) who questioned proposal because it was being put forward by a “mostly English” company. Cllr Breen raised concerns about other planning permissions which were not granted in the area.
“I know a gentleman living in that area [Clarecastle] who is receiving dialysis two times a week. He wanted to sell two sites on his land to pay for his treatment and he is being told that he can’t,” said Cllr Breen.
“To bring two applications [the Clarecastle and Shannon cremato- rium proposals] to the council at the same time was wrong. That, as far as I am concerned, is playing off one against the other.
“We can grant planning to a consortium which is mostly English owned and we turn down one of our own. I don’t think this is right and this council should not accept the proposal.”
A spokesperson from Clare County Council explained that both applications had come before the July meeting of the local authority because a decision to sell council land for the Shannon proposal was delayed as a result of the local elections.
Speaking on the proposed Clarecastle crematorium, Cllr Ann Norton said that Clare should be open for both local and international investment.
“I think it is important as councillors that we are not seen as discrimination against anyone who comes into Ireland and wants to invest. We have to appreciate that Ireland needs jobs and need to bring in outside businesses. As councillors, we need to show that we are open for business in Ireland regardless of whether they are local companies or outside businesses who are coming into invest,” she said.