A PLAN to locate visitor facilities near Mullaghmore, Co Clare, would be "totally contrary" to any overall strategy to manage tourism in the Burren, according to the Heritage Council.
The council said it was "at a loss to understand" why such facilities were being proposed for the site of the controversial interpretative centre, now officially abandoned following a campaign by conservationists. Its view is not likely to be welcomed by those who see the latest proposals as a "compromise" which could resolve one of the most bitter and long running environmental controversies in Ireland.
The Minister for Arts and Culture, Mr Higgins, is expected to make an application to the High Court later this year to allow some "modest development" to proceed at the Mullaghmore site.
Last week, Minister of State and local Fine Gael TD, Mr Donal Carey, said he hoped people on all sides "will exert as much restraint as possible and consider the Minister's proposals when they emerge".
The draft management plan for the Burren National Park proposes that the uncompleted structure near Mullaghmore should be adapted to provide a more limited display area as well as toilets, "staff facilities, effluent treatment "and car parking.
In its submission on the draft the Heritage Council said siting visitor facilities "of such significant dimensions" at this location was "totally contrary" to the main thrust of the plan, was to provide visitor facilities nearby villages.
"It is also contrary to the recommended practice world wide for the management of national parks," the council said adding that this had been confirmed by a report it commissioned from Mr Maarten van Arkel, planning officer with the Dutch National Forest Service.
"The Heritage Council supports the recommendation to provide new, or upgrade existing, facilities for visitors in or adjacent to the villages of Ballyvaughan, Kilfenora and Corofin and to disperse visitors throughout the region from these three gateway locations.
It also called for a further extension of the national park towards the south west, incorporating Lough Atedaun, to maximise the extent of wetland area included in the park. "These wetlands are among the most extensive and undamaged systems of calcareous wetlands in Ireland."
