Councillors seek new jobs task force for East Clare

EAST Clare councillors have supported the establishment of a new task force to formulate a plan for job creation and tourism development in the locality. EAST Clare councillors have supported the establishment of a new task force to formulate a plan for job creation and tourism development in the locality.
Amid growing concerns about possible voluntary redundancies in Beckmann Coulter in O’Callaghan’s Mills and previous significant job losses in the Finsa Sawmills plant in Scariff, unemployment continues to be a big problem in East Clare.
Mayor of Clare, Councillor Pat Hayes, proposed at a recent Killaloe Electoral Area meeting a special task force should be set up, similar to the one in West Clare, to formulate a plan to promote job creation, tourism development and improvements to natural amenities.
Councillor Hayes told the meeting local councillors spent a lot of time dealing with issues such as potholes and roads at area meetings but stressed it was also important to deal with issues such as tackling unemployment.
Stating factories such as Finsa had suffered from major job losses, the Maghera councillor stressed that action needs to be taken urgently to create jobs.
In his role as Mayor of Clare, Councillor Hayes recently opened the Loop Head Lighthouse to members of the public for the first time in its 341-year old history.
Councillor Hayes public representatives in West Clare felt they were being neglected when it came to job creation and decided to deal with this issue by setting up a new task force.
“We don’t get an opportunity to discuss issues affecting East Clare at meetings. We need to start looking at developing what we have, such as Lough Derg, as a major tourism attraction. We need to get all the agencies together to sit down and talk to business people,” he said.
His proposal was supported by electoral area chairman, Councillor Joe Cooney, who said he would love to see an East Clare task force and this proposal was also supported by all the other councillors at the meeting.
Senior executive officer Michael McNamara said the council would seek the assistance of Shannon Development to help with the establishment of this new body.
The initial concept for the West Clare Task Force was proposed about four years by Councillor Pat Keane, who tabled a motion at a county council meeting. This was advanced by former Mayor of Clare Councillor Christy Curtin who, as chairman of Kilrush Electoral Area, set up a sub-committee including John Keogh of Shannon Development, facilitator, director of services, Nora Kaye and chaired by  Councillor Curtin.
Seven idea-generation sessions were conducted, with almost 100 individuals from voluntary and statutory, social, education and health sector in West Clare, chaired by Councillor Curtin.
In March 2010, nine pillars for economic development in West Clare were identified including enterprise incubation centres; school enterprise programme; review development plan policies; improvement in broadband coverage availability and use; improve tourism activity; market West Clare in domestic and international markets for enterprise development; local support mentoring for new enterprises; publicise the task force and identify key infrastructure inhibitors to enterprise development.
Former defence minister Tony Killeen launched the six-point plan to stimulate the West Clare economy.
The new local authority agency, which was established about two years ago, includes councillors from the Kilrush Electoral Area, Shannon Development, FÁS, ESB, Enterprise Ireland, the Clare Enterprise Board and the Clare Local Development Company.
Councillor Patrick Keane believes that the task force has come a long way after a very slow start. “I believe the task force has become quite successful. Developments like the opening of the Loop Head Lighthouse can be channelled through the task force.
“I feel it has placed an emphasis on attracting new developments to West Clare. In the past, I felt West Clare was being left out when it came to economic development.
“There was no point in talking about it, it was time to do something about it. It has people from all the different Statutory agencies and the council to work together to secure job creation and tourism development.
“In addition to compiling a report, we have also set up a number of different sub-committees to deal with different aspects of development such as tourism and enterprise,” he said.
There has been a huge surge of tourists visiting West Clare and the Loop Head peninsula since Clare County Council has opened the 23m-high lighthouse, managed by Stephen Rowan initially on a six-week trial basis.
Two thousand visitors took advantage of spectacular views from the top of the lighthouse on the first week it opened and  2,100 the second week.
Councillor Gabriel Keating, who proposed the lighthouse should be opened two years ago, told The Clare Champion that Kilrush businesses are also benefiting from the huge tourism spin-off for the peninsula.
“At one stage on the bank holiday Monday, there were 78 cars parked in the car park and along the roadside outside Loop Head Lighthouse. There were another 29 cars at the Bridges of Ross and 30 cars in the two pubs in Kilbaha. It is providing a huge boost for tourism in West Clare,” he said.