Task force report could ‘gather dust’

KILRUSH town councillor Tom Prendeville has requested a report from the West Clare Task Force, which produced a six-point plan last July with a view to stimulating the West Clare economy over the next five years.

He expressed a fear that the initial report “may finish up gathering dust on some council shelf unless a fair and adequate attempt is made to implement its recommendations”.
Councillor Prendeville raised the matter at last week’s meeting of Kilrush Town Council.
He also suggested that the town council seek a meeting with the West Clare Task Force committee and to pool some of the town council’s job creation ideas with the task force.
“This council came up with a number of ideas on job creation, including the proposal to harvest seaweed from the shore and convert this unlimited natural resource into gainful employment. Our ‘Shop Local’ campaign has been an outstanding success and is continuing to protect employment in the retail sector,” he added.
Last July’s launch of the six-point task force plan undertook that some of the aims would be achieved inside 12 months.
However the report, which was launched by the then Minister for Defence Tony Killeen, made no reference to the specific number of jobs that the blueprint may help to create.
It did indicate though that if the six ideas were implemented, employment would be created as a result.
One of the proposals was to establish a Kilrush-based West Clare Tourism Centre, which would act as a one-stop-shop for tourism in the region.
Kilrush Town Council was described in the report as the “lead agency” with regard to the establishment of the tourism centre.
In the report, Kilrush Town Council was also given responsibility for the provision of tourism information boards in West Clare, the provision of a telescope at Loop Head and the marketing of historical sites.
Clare County Council undertook to head up a two-to-five-year plan to develop Loop Head lighthouse in Kilbaha as a major tourist attraction. Areas of potential that were to be worked on included the provision of parking and road maintenance at the Bridges of Ross, shore-based dolphin watching at Loop Head along with designated walking, cycling and hiking options.
Amongst the other proposals is to carry out an evaluation of existing business accommodation in West Clare and to market the premises to prospective entrepreneurs.
The West Clare Economic Task Force involves several agencies including Clare County Council, Kilrush Town Council, Kilkee Town Council, Shannon Development, Kilrush Chamber of Commerce, Kilkee Chamber of Commerce, Clare Local Development Company, FÁS, Clare County Enterprise Board, Clare Vocational Education Committee and Enterprise Ireland.
The committee was chaired at the time by Councillor Christy Curtin.