This article is from page 3 of the 2006-09-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
THE MAYOR and the council’s director of services are to go to the US to try to raise sponsorship to make up the cash shortfall for the new Cliffs of Moher project.
But while the contingent got the support of elected members at yesterday’s county council meeting, a number of councillors expressed their opposition to what was described as a “begging bowl” mission.
Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn said that, while she was sure that the deputation would “do a very fine job, I think it is regrettable that we have to resort to this to secure funding for the project.”
The Fine Gael general election candidiate said that, considering the Ryder Cup was “just one event, which will last a week in one place in Ireland and is getting €8.8 million, I think we should go back to Tourism Minister John O’Donohue and ask for additional funding.”
The Cliffs Visitor Experience project is set to cost more than €3 million in excess of the €31.5 million originally envisaged.
To make up the shortfall, a delegation has been formed for a 10-day trip to New York, Chicago, and Phoenix in Arizona for meetings with potential sponsors.
Director of Services, Ger Dollard, told the meeting that the council is convinced that opportunities will arise to attract funding to the project and that suitable mechanisms exist to acknowledge such funding.”
He said that by following up contacts made on the St Patrick’s Day visit, “considerable progress” had been made. One large organisation seems set to contribute to the project, while funding has been secured to fit out the first aid room.
A schedule of visits is planned for the October visit. On the agenda are presentations to key members of the business community in New York, meetings with Irish-American business leaders, a meeting with the Clare Association in Chicago and meetings in Arizona to finalise arrangements for the first aid room, which are being paid for to honour a deceased relative of the donors.