Decision due on future of Blake’s Corner

CLARE County Council expects to make a decision on the future of the controversial Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon early in the new year, it emerged this week.
The council was urged to take action in relation to the iconic buildings and the junction on which they are located by a number of public representatives.
Local councillors stated they feel a decision on the future of the Blake and Linnane buildings is vital for the safety of pedestrians and motorists using the route to access local schools, Lahinch and the Cliffs of Moher.
The need to secure the buildings was raised at an Ennistymon Electoral Area meeting earlier this week by Ruan Councillor Joe Arkins, who asked for an update in relation to proposed changes to the junction. He tabled a motion at Monday’s meeting asking the senior executive engineer to give an “update on the proposed widening and improvement of the junction at Blake’s Corner, Ennistymon, the relocation of Blake’s and Linnane’s and the security and maintenance of the buildings in the interim”.
“Does it take someone to be killed or a pedestrian to be shoved into the hole by a lorry?” Councillor Arkins asked. He also stressed the need to secure the buildings, citing a series of fires that have taken place in the town in recent times and added that the “buildings should not be open to vandalism”.
Councillor Richard Nagle, who uses the junction regularly to drop his children to school, described it as “an absolute nightmare”.
“I understood that a solution was in place, a roundabout, and that would involve knocking the buildings,” he said.
“That proposal had to be parked because of a series of objections,” he said, something that he felt “is outrageous”, adding that a solution must be found.
“It is time for everyone here to step up to the plate. The council doesn’t have the money to do studies for this and surveys for that. The people who want something else done should bring us the study and it should have accurate costings,” Councillor Nagle continued. He said because of deficits in the budget, “every project will now have to have a value for money audit”.
Councillor Nagle also commented on the “disastrous” effect the problems at the junction are having on the economic life of the town.
Fellow Ennistymon councillor Martin Conway agreed that traffic problems at the junction are causing economic problems but said “safety is most important”.
“Nine out of 10 people living in Ennistymon have had a negative experience at that junction,” he added and said that given the situation with the country’s finances, “I would have a problem spending another half a million euros just to preserve an image that has been pictured on postcards”.
“If people are that concerned with heritage in Ennistymon, there are two streets in the town where there are buildings for sale and I don’t see any campaign for them,” he added.
The Fine Gael councillor urged those who wish to protect the heritage of the town to “take a long hard look at this. There are a lot of buildings around Ennistymon for sale and have been in as many postcards as Blake’s and Linnane’s ever were and they are falling into ruin and maybe they could do something about those.”
Councillor Conway added he would support a proposal that is safe and preserves the buildings if it is “properly costed” but added, “if it is outrageous and off the Ricter Scale I think we will have to make the difficult decision and demolish it”.
Miltown Malbay councillor Michael Hillery asked whether or not the €300,000 allocated for the building of a roundabout at the junction would still be available next year.
“Preserving heritage, I am in favour of it but with the finances of the country, some solution has to be come to,” he said, adding, “health and safety has to come first”.
In a written reply to Councillor Arkins’ motion, Tom Tiernan, senior engineer, transportation, stated, “The council will carry out necessary remedial and maintenance works to the Blake and Linnane buildings imminently and will continue to do so as the need arises”.
Mr Tiernan pointed out that the council has a responsibility to provide traffic and pedestrian infrastructure to “an acceptable standard”.
“There are very serious deficiencies in the capacity of Blake’s Corner to accommodate either in safety. The capacity of the junction to accommodate the traffic demands on it is grossly inadequate, particularly during the tourist season. Therefore the junction has to be improved,” he stated.
“The council recognises the status of the Blake and Linnane buildings and the sensitivities associated with whatever impact a proposed junction improvement might have on them.
“In this context, all possible options are being thoroughly examined with a view ultimately to putting forward a proposal which takes account, insofar as is practicable to do so, of the objectives of the roads authority, the status of the buildings and the sensitivities of those who defend their heritage values,” he continued.
Mr Tiernan stated, “It is envisaged that a clear strategy regarding how this issue is to be dealt with will emerge early in 2011.
“Whatever procedure is adopted, we will welcome the views of the general public and all such views will be seriously considered before conclusions are reached.”
Councillor Arkins called for clarity and asked for it to be “item number one” on January’s agenda.
“We need a solution and we need a solution very quickly,” he concluded.