This article is from page 16 of the 2007-12-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
KILRUSH area councillors have re- neged on a written commitment and voted to extinguish a right of way close to the multi-million-euro golf club in Doonbeg. Last February, the seven members of the Kilrush area agreed to defer consideration of the proposed extinguishment of the Pub- lic Right of Way pending the out- come of the Judicial Review of the enforcement action by Clare County Council against the golf club.
On Friday last, however, four of the seven councillors voted to com- mence procedures under the Roads Act to extinguish the right of way.
Councillors Patrick Keane (FF), Christy Curtin (Ind), Bill Chambers (FF) and Oliver Garry (FG) voted in favour of the proposal while Cllrs Tom Prenderville (FF), PJ Kelly (FF) and Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) voted against.
During the meeting, which was at- tended by Clare County Council’s solicitor and had representatives of
Doonbeg Golf Club’s legal team in the public gallery, the councillors agreed to begin proceedings which, if they come to fruition, will see the extinguishment of 120 metres of the right of way over part of the public road at Caherfeenick, Cree.
The extinguishment will only take place when certain criteria are met by the golf club. These include the provision of a car park constructed to council specifications and the trans- fer of afurther half-acre for more car park spaces to be transferred into the
ownership of the local authority.
A new “turntable at the new termi- nal point” on the Caherfeenick road to council specification must also be constructed and bollards installed.
“A clear legal grant of a pedestrian right of way to be given by Doonbeg Golf Club to Clare County Council from the turntable” at the end of the road to the beach is another part of the controversial proposal, as is “a clear legal grant of a vehicular right of way for emergency vehicles”’.
The final criteria to be met by the
golf club states that the council is to be “indemnified against any claim on the Doonbeg Golf Club property.
During the meeting, allegations were made that the original public notice and accompanying maps con- cerning the right of way published last January differed from the pro- posal before the members on Friday.
The proposal must now go back on public display for submissions from the public, and will also require the final seal of approval from the coun- cil if it is to go ahead.