Tag Archives: Shannon Heritage

DEPUTY Cathal Crowe has that too many people who could have brought the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage Tourism assets to Clare County Council to a satisfactory conclusion weeks ago “have dragged their heels”. He told The Clare Champion, “I think the Department of Transport in particular and Shannon Airport Group need to step up to the plate here.” He said that there was a certain level of hope for an early resolution however with Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton as well as cabinet members Darragh O’Brien and Michael McGrath all saying they hoped to have the matter resolved by Christmas. However he said there had already been many missed chances and a failure to really engage on the matter. “As I understand it at the moment there’s an over and back squabble between the Department of Housing and Local Government, which is the parent department of local authorities, and the Department of Transport, which is the parent department for …

TEMPERATURES weren’t very far above freezing on Friday, but a number of Shannon Heritage workers still assembled outside Bunratty, looking to vent frustration over the uncertainty around Shannon Heritage’s future. The delays around the transfer are widely seen as farcical and workers outside what was once one of the country’s top tourist attractions brandished signs indicating their disillusionment. ‘Political ping pong’, ‘Master Plan to Master Sham’ and ‘Staff in the dark’ a sample of them read. “We’re gutted at this stage, it’s going on for over a year and a half at this stage,” said Caroline O’Sullivan, one of the protesting employees. “We were told in February of last year it’d be taken over in June. In June we were told Christmas, and here we are another year down the road and we still don’t know. It’s very uncertain for people with mortgages, children going to school or college. It’s a tough time,” she added. Workers are very disappointed with …

FRUSTRATED at not being given the funding guarantees it says it needs, Clare County Council has released a statement today saying ” it cannot proceed with the proposed takeover of the Clare assets of Shannon Heritage at this time without real and meaningful support from Government.” As recently as yesterday Clare TD Cathal Crowe told workers that he hoped an agreement on the transfer might be completed by Christmas, and the Council statement today, while ostensibly ruling out the transfer at the moment, also says the local authority “remains open to further engagement on the future management and development of Shannon Heritage assets in County Clare.” Clare County Council has been looking for funding of around €15 million to take over Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Craggaunowen Bronze Age Park, Knappogue Castle & Walled Garden, and the Cliffs of Moher Experience retail unit. In today’s statement, the Council said, “In the comprehensive independent Due Diligence report submitted to government, Clare …

WHILE Clare County Council is seeking, though not yet receiving, €15 million to take on the Clare-based Shannon Heritage attractions, hotelier Michael Vaughan has warned that even that vast sum may not be enough. “Even if there is an investment of €15 million and it secures the asset, secures the heritage value of these sites, what in terms of a plan will increase the number of people staying in the locality, in Bunratty, in Ennis, in other parts of Clare? “Some councillors have said there would be a multisite ticket people could get for three or four sites, but that would only help the likes of Paddywagon and the coach tours that are in and out in a flash,” said the Lahinch man. He warned that a figure of closer to €20 million would be required to bring the sites up to the required standard and to start promoting them abroad. “I think you could spend €15 million in Bunratty …

BUNRATTY Castle and Folk Park will be closed to the public four days a week, from mid January to early March. Despite the closure, all of the staff will be retained on their current terms. Speaking to the Clare Champion this week, one worker said, “The Group made an announcement to us recently. The doors will be closing Monday to Wednesday inclusive, but all staff are being retained and fully paid, we’ll just be closed to the public on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The staff will probably be doing other work in their own area, preparatory work, something like that.” In recent years the attraction had closed completely in the early part of the year, so the worker said the announcement is good news. “Of course people are happy to be retained but it is confusing as to why we are closing for the three days. We can’t see where the saving is, it doesn’t seem to make a lot …

SHANNON Airport Group CEO Mary Considine declined to meet with local councillors to discuss the uncertainty around the transfer of Shannon Heritage sites (including Bunratty Castle and Folk Park) to Clare County Council. In advance of Tuesday’s meeting of Shannon Municipal District independent Gerry Flynn had put forward a motion stating, “I am calling on Shannon Municipal District to contact the CEO of Shannon Airport Mary Considine, and arrange an urgent special meeting with elected members to discuss the serious issues facing employees of the Shannon Heritage sites that are located in our district. “The current situation and lack of engagement and transparency is bringing uncertainty and having a negative impact on the lives of employees and their families.” However the invitation had been rejected prior to Tuesday’s regular November meeting of the Municipal District, and Senior Executive Engineer Anne Griffin provided a written summary of the reasons given. “Commercially sensitive discussions are ongoing between Shannon Group and Clare County …

SHANNON Heritage staff working at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park are set to hold a lunchtime protest at 1pm on Friday, as there is still no clarity about the expected transfer to Clare County Council. They are set to assemble close to the entrance to the facility and it’s expected that workers from other Shannon Heritage sites will be there in support. While many of the workers are members of SIPTU, Friday’s protest is not linked to the union. As well as the lack of progress on the transfer, there is concern among workers that they could be laid off for the first three months of 2023, similar to what has happened to them in other years since the emergence of Covid-19. There is also frustration that Shannon Heritage has not made itself available for a hearing on conditions at the WRC on a date next month, meaning the process has been delayed by eight days. All staff are receiving …

THERE were bitter exchanges at Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, with accusations of grandstanding and seeking to muzzle debate thrown around. The row began after a proposal from Councillor Gerry Flynn to suspend standing orders in order to discuss the taking over by Clare County Council of Shannon Heritage sites. His proposal also requested that CEO Pat Dowling take out a loan to fund the transfer, if such was required. The proposal was seconded by his fellow independent, PJ Ryan. However Councillor PJ Kelly said that the proposal could seriously damage the Council’s prospects of getting the funding it requires for the takeover. “We’re in a most difficult and sensitive situation in the negotiations here. Either the Government will give us €15 million or they won’t. We, here, are at risk of causing some self harm and defeating our objective of getting the maximum assistance from the Government.” He said the proposal amounted to “a classic example of foot …