This article is from page 3 of the 2006-11-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
A SENIOR member of Clare County Council has hit out at what he called scaremongering over the council’s €31.5 million Cliffs of Moher visitor centre.
The chair of the council’s Special Policy Committee (SPC) for Economic Development, Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) said, “There has been all sorts of scaremongering over the project.”
The council is currently facing a shortfall of €3 million over the project and is seeking sponsorship for ‘naming opportunities’ at the Cliffs.
Addressing a meeting of the SPC earlier this week, Cllr Nagle said, “I have no doubt that the shortfall will be addressed. The project is on time, and on budget will open in January with an official opening in early February.”
Cllr Nagle expressed his annoyance, “at so much negative publicity” surrounding the project, in contrast to how positively the project had been received overseas.
“It has the potential to create an additional 100 jobs that should provide national headlines. It will be of huge economic benefit to the western seaboard.”
Cllr Nagle said that with 700,000 visitors per annum and projections of 1 million visitors each year, “I have no doubt that the project will be financially sustainable,” the councillor said.
Separately, the project leader of the scheme, Ger Dollard said this week that, “While there are some issues which require to be addressed and understandably so in a project of this scale, profile and complexity, the council is absolutely convinced that the Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience will be a development that will have far reaching benefits for the north Clare area and indeed for tourism at a national and international level.
“The project is now at a stage where the physical structure has been completed and the building covered back to blend into the landscape.
“The development looks exceptionally well on site and fulfils perfectly the original architects concept for the site.
“The concentration now is on fit out of the various elements within the building, particularly the Atlantic Edge exhibition, and the completion of the external works.
“The charges proposed for the development are exceptionally reasonable and I have no doubt will prove to be so when visitors see for themselves the finished product and the new and improved visitor facilities and management within the overall site,” he said.