This article is from page 8 of the 2006-05-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
WHO should pick up the outstanding tab for the Cliffs of Moher interpretive centre was the subject of political wrangling this week.
Suggestions that Shannon Development, Fáilte Ireland, Central Government and money collected from the controversial project’s car park have all been cited in an attempt to pay off the €3.1 million debt.
But county manager Alec Fleming is adamant that the project will clear its own 10 per cent shortfall and maintain the centre’s running cost.
Fianna Fáil Senator Brendan Daly has called on Shannon Development to put up the short fall for the project in line with its tourism remit.
“Shannon Development has a sizable capital budget this year,” added the west Clare Senator.
The senator said that while he appreciated there was a difference of opinion between Shannon Development and the county council when the project began, the two bodies should now work together to make sure the venture is a success.
Meanwhile, north Clare council lor Martin Lafferty (Ind) believes Fáilte Ireland are more than capable of making up the shortfall. The state tourism promotion company underspent by €25 million last years, and the money was returned to the EU.
The council contributed half a million euro from the Planning Development Contribution Scheme in 2005 to the cliffs project. Cllr Lafferty asked why should people building one-off houses have to contribute to the Cliffs of Moher.
Fellow north Clare councillor Ri chard Nagle (FF) said he was sure that fees collected from the carpark would cover the over-spend.
County manager Alec Fleming has revealed that approximately €650,000 is collected every year in the car park. This goes directly into the council budget for the year.
He said he would not over worry about the €3.1 million debt as the project will be run in such a way as to maintain itself and pay the money back.
“This project is not set out to be a commercial project,” he added.
He said the project is to provide proper facilities to keep tourists in the county longer, as the majority of tourists just pass through.
The second reason for investing in such a project is for the county’s citizens.
“Many of the thousands of the people who visit the cliffs on a regular basis are from the county.”