This article is from page 11 of the 2006-01-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
CLARE County Council voted against the advice of the County Manager in excluding a controversial pier from the record of protected structures (RPS) last night.
Members voted 16 to 14, with Cllr Joe Carey abstaining, to exclude Ininishmurry Pier, Cahercon from the (RPS).
Long time campaigner for the conservation of the pier, PRO for Cairde Chill an Disirt Ltd, Terence Corry said he was disappointed with the outcome of the council vote, but vowed to “keep up the struggle”.
“The pier has been eroded over years and that has been acknowledged in the manager’s report,” he told The Clare People .
“We need to have it (the pier) as a protected structure.”
The West Clare pier, which is owned by Clare County Council but leased by CW Shipping, has been at the centre of a number of local controversies over the years.
In February 2005 the council included the pier in the Record of Protected Structures. CW Shipping challenged this decision to the High Court and the issue went before the public last September.
The issue captured the attention of the whole community, with 145 submissions on the issues received by the council.
Those in favour of including the pier on the list of protected structures argued that the pier was a unique part of the maritime history of the area, and asked that it be “restored” to its original state. Those who are not in favour of changing the status of the pier believe the inclusion could risk the future of development and employment in the area.
Last night the county manager told the council, in front of a packed public gallery, “on balance the pier should be included in the Record of Protected Structures.”
In his report to the council the manager said the inclusion of the pier in the RPS would not “place undue constraints upon the incorporation of the structure into the future economic development of the site or general area.”
Kildysart County Councillor Oliver Garry (FG) proposed the pier be listed.
The ensuing debate became quiet heated amid allegations of two documents contradicting each other on the same issue being on file in the council’s offices.
County Manager Alex Fleming said as far as he was aware, the allegations made by Cllr Tom Prenderville (FF) referred to an employee that worked in a private capacity for an individual as far back as 1999 before any development plan.
Mayor Pat Keane adjourned proceedings for 10 minutes to allow Cllr Prenderville show the documents and/ or explain his comments to other councillors. When the council returned it voted to reject Cllr Garry’s proposal after some more debate.
The public gallery was as divided as the council, with some members of the public leaving disappointed, while others said simply “smiles all round, smiles all round”.