Ennis businesses and their representative groups say only one public consultation has been held so far by Ennis 2040 DAC and the Clare County Council. And there is a general opinion amongst business owners that, as one retailer put it, there has been no “meaningful” public consultation.
At the recent drop-in events organised by Ennis 2040 DAC/ The Council displays advised the public that “extensive” consultation has taken place.
Proprietors of Ennis Bookshop, Feargal Dúlaing and Dervilla Evans told The Clare Champion they first became aware of the project in early 2023 when Ennis Chamber organised a meeting at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis where a representative of Ennis 2040 DAC and the Council set out their vision for the proposed developments with the aid of a brochure and slides.
“To suggest that an extensive consultation took place or continues to take place is inaccurate and very misrepresentative. All through 2023, we met members of the public – business and non-business and of all ages – who had no idea what was proposed or if they had, were unclear as to what was being built or the location of same,” Mr Ó Dúlaing and Ms Evans said.
They think the recent public information drop-in evenings were mainly a forum to display rather than one for any real and open public debate.
Indeed the Council and Ennis 2040 DAC have described the three separate public engagement drop-in events held at the end of January 2024 as being public consultation saying the information from which was displayed in the foyer at the Clare County Council building for four days from February 6 until February 9. They also said all the information was published on the Council’s website on its ‘have your say portal’ which included a comment section for people to make submissions on the development.
Mr Ó Dúlaing and Ms Evans point out that given the lack of serious public consultation, it was “incredible” to see over 3,700 people signing a petition last September calling for the Council/Ennis 2040 to stop the development in the town’s riverside car parks.
“Given the enormity of the project, and serious consequence of same (transfer of Abbey Street car park into private ownership), the Council/Ennis 2040 DAC were and continue to be, duty bound to its public and us your electorate, to engage in a forthright and transparent manner. Rather than doing so, we have been met with ‘diving and ducking’ and witnessing the Council/Ennis 2040 DAC concentrating more on PR than any meaningful dialogue.”
The bookshop owners stressed they are grateful to those councillors who have engaged with them, however, said that many of them have remained elusive or just paid a fleeting visit to the recent public information evenings. “There has been no real debate. Only communication through various press releases,” they said.
“We applaud much of the Council/Ennis 2040 project, but not the use of the our [Abbey Street] car park as a site on which to construct the proposed buildings,” they added.
Michelle O’Connell, partner and pharmacist technician at O’Connell’s Medical Hall on Abbey Street said there ought to be “meaningful” consultation with local people and businesses to enhance and unlock all of the potential of Ennis, and make progress on projects to safeguard the future of the town.
Clodagh Deegan, owner of Victorian Posy florist shop at the Abbey Street Car Park said the shop owners and the people of Ennis aren’t being listened to which she finds “frustrating”.
Speaking to The Clare Champion, CEO of Ennis Chamber, Margaret O’Brien also noted there was only one public consultation in the town saying there needs to be better communication and openness from the Council/Ennis 2040 DAC, and both they and her organisation need to work together as partners to ensure the pieces are in place to make Ennis 2040 “as smooth a transition as possible”.
Nevertheless, Ms O’Brien welcomed the facility at the recent public information drop-in events for businesses and the public to give their feedback on forms provided.
Asked for their response to retailers’ concerns they are not being listened to, or there was no meaningful public consultation, Clare County Council and Ennis 2040 DAC – a company wholly owned by Clare County Council – refuted the assertion claiming they have engaged extensively with the public and all interested stakeholders.
They specifically pointed to the two-year development of the Ennis 2040 Economic and Spatial Strategy where they say “extensive” public consultation was held with businesses as well as local communities and locally elected councillors. They said an Ennis 2040 steering group which was formed from Clare County Council Chief Executive, directors, the President of Ennis Chamber, the Mayor of Ennis (chair), and other key stakeholders in consultation with business leaders developed the vision, objectives, and goals of the Ennis 2040 Strategy.
“Presentations and submissions were invited from the local community, businesses, business organisations and the Public Participation Network. The feedback and information received helped inform the proposals which were incorporated into the Strategy. This draft Strategy then underwent two public consultation sessions, whereby the public were informed about the Ennis 2040 progress and feedback on the initial proposals was received.”
Clare County Council and Ennis 2040 DAC said a targeted stakeholder workshop which was held with members of the wider Ennis business community with over 90 people attending, was also a public consultation.
Sharon Dolan D’Arcy covers West Clare news. After completing a masters in journalism at University of Galway, Sharon worked as a court reporter at the Sligo Weekender. She was also editor of the Athenry News and Views.