This article is from page 12 of the 2006-09-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
THE Clare Tourism Forum has failed in a bid to secure funding from Fáilte Ireland to boost the tourism industry in Clare and will have to re-apply.
Addressing yesterday’s Clare County Council Special Policy Committee (SPC) on Economic Development, Bernadette Kinsella said that the application by the Clare Tourism Forum had failed as the application didn’t qualify and a new revised submission would have to be made.
SPC member, John Madden said that Clare and the mid-west appeared to be the poor relation in comparison to other areas of Ireland where tourism funding was concerned.
“We are not getting the financial support that other areas are getting. We must actively pursue our politicians to ensure that we get our fair share.”
Disappointment was also expressed at the continued failure by Shannon Development to appoint a tourism development officer for Clare.
Ms Kinsella said that no progress had been made on the issue. Clare County Council first proposed the post last year and in response Shannon Development said that it would take the lead.
Chair of the SPC, Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) said: “It is particularly disappointing because if Shannon Development had not said that they would establish the post, there would be a tourism development officer in place by now.
He added: “We were delighted at the time that Shannon Development would be making the appointment so at the moment we are in a limbo situation.”
Cllr Nagle said that both he and Ms Kinsella would be meeting with Shannon Development representatives at a Clare Tourism Forum meeting today and would be seeking answers to the questions that were made at the meeting in relation to the Tourism Development Officer post.
Senior Planner, Liam Conneally, told the meeting that the Clare Tourism Forum had become a serious entity and was achieving a buy-in from the local tourism industry.
Mr Madden agreed stating that the forum vehicle was something that people could hang their hat on rather than any other agency. Cllr Nagle said that the SPC would be writing to the county’s Oireachtas members on the need to secure tourism funding.