Clare TD wants 'transfer' of Shannon Heritage assets completed 'without delay'

INDEPENDENT Clare TD Michael McNamara has written written to Taoiseach Micheál Martin calling for the appointment of a high-level intermediary to bring together government departments and national and local government bodies to ensure that the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage’s Clare assets to Clare County Council can be brought to a conclusion without delay.

Commenting after it emerged the required funding has not been sanctioned, Deputy McNamara said the proposed transfer has “taken too long” and now appears to be “bogged down in a bureaucratic, Departmental pass-the-potato.”

Several other Oireachtas members have expressed concern at the delay. 

“It is disappointing that it has come to this but to protect previous taxpayer investment in the assets, the future of the broader tourism sector in the region and, especially, those who work in Shannon Heritage, many for their entire working lives, the matter needs to proceed to a conclusion,” stated Deputy McNamara.

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The Clare TD says the Shannon Airport Group has questions to answer on its treatment of Shannon Heritage assets and staff which includes Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.

"The Group comes under the remit of the Department of Transport which, I understand, has referred the matter of funding the transfer to the Department of Local Government and Housing which, in turn, has recently told Clare County Council that it will not meet its funding request of €15m. That sum, which is a very large ask in these increasingly difficult times of so many competing demands, especially housing, may need to be modified,” he stated.

“The future of Shannon Heritage has to be secured soon to allow it to start planning for 2023 and beyond without further delay and distraction," Deputy McNamara concluded.