The position of Bobby Kerr as chairperson of the Cliffs of Moher Experience has been called into question, with one local councillor saying he “should not be” in that position.
A successful businessman, Mr Kerr oversaw the total reorganisation of An Post in 2017, when the state owned company was in financial difficulty.
He introduced a series of structural changes to the organisation which stabilised it financially but has resulted in dozens of rural post offices closing across the country.
With the future of the Lisdoonvarna Post Office currently in doubt, local councillor Joe Garrihy (FG) has raised questions over the suitability of Mr Kerr to oversee the Cliffs of Moher 2040 Strategy.
This strategy, which is currently under development, will see major changes at the Cliffs of Moher Experience over the next 15 years.
Many local people and organisations are concerned about the current and future direction of the world famous tourist attraction, which is seen by some as too focussed on making money from day visitors rather than benefitting the wider local community.
Speaking to The Clare Champion, Cllr Garrihy criticised the An Post contract put in place under the stewardship of Mr Kerr and said that the “people at the top” see North Clare as a cash cow, and not a place where people live.
He says that his criticism should be seen as a “wake up call at the edge of a cliff”.
“This is just not good enough. This is systemic. An Post are set up to do this [close rural post offices], it is a private contract,” he said.
“The man who was behind this contract is now the chairman of the Cliffs of Moher. The man who put this plan for rural sustainability for An Post in place, is now the chairman of the Cliffs, Bobby Kerr.
“If you are the guy who is putting projects in place to have a system which is unworkable for sustainable rural services, you should not be the chair of the Cliffs of Moher.
“That is very worrying to me. Very, very worrying in the context of the Cliffs of Moher 2040 plan. Those at the top, with the power to make decisions about these things, really need to wake up. This is a wake up call, at the edge of a cliff.
“This creates a feeling that the people at the top, the people making decisions, see this area as a tourist area.
“It’s about getting people in, making some money out of them and getting them out, and not a place where people have to live sustainably. That has been my lived experience since I became a county councillor, it has been my lived experience all my life working in community development. Everything is just a massive battle against that mindset.
“We need people to intervene [in the Lisdoonvarna Post Office], if this is just left to An Post, this is going to close. This is not a hands away moment, ‘nothing to do with us’. This is of systemic importance, it is a frontier issue for rural Ireland being played out here in Lisdoonvarna in North Clare, in the middle of the Burren, in an UNESCO Geopark, marketing itself for sustainable tourism and for local communities – that is incompatible with this action [the closure of Lisdoonvarna Post Office].”
Responding to Mr Garrihy’s comments, a Clare County Council spokesperson said that one of the aims of the Cliffs of Moher 2040 plan was to enhance economic benefits across the region.
“Following extensive public stakeholder consultation, the Fáilte Ireland supported draft Cliffs of Moher Strategy 2040 focuses on setting out a long-term vision for sustainable development of the world-class visitor attraction under four key objectives: enhancing economic benefits across the region; providing sustainable transport access; transforming the natural landscape; and optimising the world-class visitor experience,” said the spokesperson.
The draft Cliffs of Moher 2040 plan includes a number of developments including the construction of new Visitors Reception Building on the eastern side of the N478.
Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and podcaster who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.