Council rejects application for visitor facilities at Mullaghmore

Clare County Council last night turned down a planning application from the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands…

Clare County Council last night turned down a planning application from the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, for visitor facilities at Mullaghmore in the Burren National Park.

For the development to proceed, 24 members of the 32-member council would have had to vote in favour of a material contravention of the county development plan. However, the Fianna Fail-backed proposal to contravene the plan failed, securing only 18 votes in favour.

A coalition of four Fine Gael, one Labour, one Progressive Democrat and three Independent members voting against the proposal, together with five absentees, ensured that the Minister's planning application would be refused.

The vote on the contentious application, which has been the subject of heated exchanges within the council chamber, was taken without debate. When the matter came up, a Fianna Fail member, Cllr Pat McMahon, asked the acting chairman, Cllr Sean Hillery (FF), to call a vote immediately: "Take the vote now. We're browned off talking about the issue."

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Following the vote, the County Manager, Mr Willie Moloney, said that he would make an official order today formally refusing permission for the revised plans for visitor facilities at Mullaghmore, which were lodged in October 1996 by the then Minister, Mr Michael D. Higgins TD.

A spokesperson for Ms de Valera said last night: "The Minister will consider all options open to her following today's vote."

The Minister has four weeks to decide if she wishes to appeal the council's decision to An Bord Pleanala.

The Burren Action Group, which has opposed plans for development over the past eight years, last night appealed to the Minister to "lay her divisive proposals to rest". A spokesperson said: "For eight years BAG has argued for the provision of muchneeded visitor facilities in socially and environmentally sustainable locations around the Burren. This approach, which maximises economic benefit while minimising environmental threats, will allow tourism growth in tune with the needs of visitors, the host community and the environment.

"Today's vote makes this goal a real possibility and BAG looks forward to developing a genuine partnership with the council, the Department of Arts and Heritage and all parties to the long-running controversy."

Yesterday's vote came after the 19-strong Fianna Fail group in the council had twice sought and obtained a deferral on the vote since last November, when it became apparent on both occasions that the 24 votes required for the development to proceed would not be forthcoming.