Calls Made For West Clare Stakeholders To Come Together To Ensure Moneypoint Benefits Reaped

© Pat Flynn

Calls have been made for all stakeholders to come together now to ensure West Clare reaps the benefits of a five billion euro development at Moneypoint.

An an offshore wind farm on the West Clare coast capable of powering 1.6 million homes is set to be completed and in operation off Clare’s coast by 2030.

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Last week, the ESB unveiled a 5 billion euro project at Moneypoint, which will develop an offshore wind farm on the West Clare coast capable of powering 1.6 million homes.

It’s set to be completed and in operation by 2030, with 500 jobs being created in the construction phase of the works, while the utility says there will be opportunities for former or current staff at the plant to re-skill and participate in the project beyond that.

It’s led to calls for planning to get underway now, to ensure the project is leveraged to bring back a living population to West Clare, by improving local infrastructure and diversifying the economy.

Lisdoonvarna Fine Gael Councillor Joe Garrihy, who’s among a number of local representatives involved in setting up a Sustainability Community Structure says Green Atlantic at Moneypoint will be a gamechanger for quality of life in the area.

A task force was set up in 2019 comprising local Councillors and the county’s Oireachtas members, to work on securing the future of Monypoint, and Kilkee Fianna Fáil Councillor Cillian Murphy is calling for it to be revived.

He says it’s vital that all stakeholders in the community come together to ensure West Clare reaps the benefits of this project in the long run,