Council Insists Full €15M Required For Shannon Heritage Transfer

CLARE County Council insists it requires the full €15 million government funding package to ensure the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage sites proceeds.

The council has consistently argued that assuming ownership of Shannon Heritage sites can’t have any significant impact on services or commercial rates in Clare, which it believes demonstrates their case for the full funding package it has requested.

In order to secure the future of the heritage assets and employees, the Department of Housing told the Clare Champion the Shannon Airport Group has had extensive engagement with the relevant local authorities since early 2021.

“Shannon Airport Group continues to engage with Clare County Council in relation to the proposed transfer of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Craggaunowen, Knappogue Castle, and Cliffs of Moher Retail Outlet.

“As part of its engagement with the Shannon Airport Group, Clare County Council identified a funding gap for which it sought Government assistance to enable it to take over the sites. The funding gap identified by Clare County Council is €15 million, the quantum of which may be adjusted downwards partly due to the better than projected performance of visitor numbers to Bunratty Castle in 2022.

“The Department of Transport established an inter-departmental working group in May 2022 to examine funding options in relation to the proposed transfer to Clare County Council of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Craggaunowen, Knappogue Castle, and Cliffs of Moher Retail Outlet. The group includes officials from the Departments of Transport, Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Public expenditure and Reform, the Office of Public Works, and Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.

“To date, the working group has met three times, and identified a number of ways to support a transfer. The Department of Transport has also met with Clare County Council and Shannon Airport Group and has asked both to continue their engagement and consider the package of measures identified by the inter-departmental working group, with a view to reaching agreement on a transfer,” said a Department of Housing spokesman.

In the comprehensive Due Diligence report submitted to government in July 2022, Clare County Council detailed significant neglect of the sites, the urgent need to halt the deterioration of the assets and the investment required to achieve this.

In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, the local authority stressed that the proposed transfer must not have a significant impact on services and commercial businesses in Clare and therefore, the full funding proposal outlined in the Due Diligence report would be required for the transfer to proceed.

“Since the announcement on December 9 of its withdrawal at this time from the process, Clare County Council has not received any communication from Government relating to a funding proposal being finalised nor any indication that a downward revised funding package is being considered by government.”