The final act in the long-running Mullaghmore drama begins today with an An Bord Pleanala's oral hearing into plans for visitor facilities at the Burren National Park in Co Clare. At the public hearing in Ennis the appeals board will hear the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands appeal against Clare County Council's refusal of planning permission for the centre last September.
The Burren Action Group has called for visitor facilities to be sited in "gateway" villages in the Burren and An Taisce also appealed the council's decision in a strategic move to allow both parties equal status as the Minister at the hearing.
Government plans were first announced for an interpretative centre at the Mullaghmore site eight years ago, triggering a bitter conflict that divided north Clare. The tension was apparent at the turning of the first sod of the development in November 1992.
A month later legal proceedings were taken by the newly formed BAG against the Office of Public Works, claiming that the OPW should not be exempt from having to seek planning permission for its developments.
In February 1993 the High Court ruled in favour of the BAG, saying the OPW had acted ultra vires and could not, as had been believed, be considered exempt from the requiring planning permission for its developments, rendering the partially completed centre at Mullaghmore illegal.
The High Court decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Three years later, an application was lodged by the then minister for arts and heritage, Mr Michael D. Higgins, to Clare County Council to develop visitor facilities at the site. This is the subject of today's oral hearing.
The proposal seeks to develop an Entry Point to the Burren National Park on the foundations of the ill-fated interpretative centre, with a covered waiting area, toilets, ranger accommodation, ancillary parking, storage and signs.
