Clare County Council says negotiations surrounding the transfer of Shannon Heritage sites to their portfolio are “almost at the final stages”.
It follows many months of negotiations between the local authority, several Government departments and the Shannon Airport Group.
The Council submitted a 600-page due diligence report on acquiring the sites last summer, and subsequently made it clear to the Government they needed 15 million euro to facilitate the transfer.
Months of negotiations and bumps in the road have followed since, with a 2.5 million euro offer being made from the Cabinet table to the Council before Christmas not being seen as sufficient by the local authority.
The Council’s updated members of the Rural Development Strategic Policy Committee this week, with Rural Development Director Leonard Cleary saying they are “confident” negotiations are “at the stage where Government is ready to make a decision” on a new funding package offer.
Members were told “details have been fine tuned” on the matter, and that the Council is hopeful of approval on a package “before the summer season”.
Mr Cleary also reassured Rural SPC members that they are able to give job security to Shannon Heritage staff should any transfer proceed in the near future.
It’s understood a full briefing for all elected members of Clare County Council will be provided ahead of rubber stamping any decision should an offer from Government buildings arrive.
