Clare County Council: No Representation By Varadkar On Wind Farm Planning File

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Clare County Council says it has no record of receiving any call from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in relation to a planning application for a West Clare wind farm that had been opposed by President Donald Trump.

At an event in Washington D.C. today, after the pair had met in the White House, the Taoiseach recounted how he had received a call from Mr. Trump in relation to an application for nine wind turbines to be built close to the Trump family’s Doonbeg golf resort.

The Taoiseach, then Minister for Tourism, said he “rang the County Council and inquired about the planning permission and subsequently the planning permission was declined.”

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“The President has very kindly given me credit for that, although I do think it probably would have been refused anyway but I’m very happy to take credit for it, if the President is going to offer it to me.”

Tonight, Clare County Council has released a statement saying that the application in question was refused in late 2014, a decision that was later upheld by An Bord Pleanala.

Clare County Council says all representations, objections and observations made in relation to the file are available to view, but there is no mention in the planning file of then Minister Leo Varadkar.

 

The Taoiseach’s remarks have already drawn criticism from political opponents in Ireland.

In 2014, the now President welcomed the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the wind farm.