Clare County Council insists it’s had ‘no contact’ from the Government since it publicly announced it wouldn’t be proceeding with the transfer of the management of the county’s Shannon Heritage sites.
That’s despite the Shannon Airport Group saying it has spoken to both the local authority and the Government since last weekend.
It’s now been a week since the local authority released a statement to say it wouldn’t be proceeding with the takeover of Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Craggaunowen and Knappogue Castle without ‘real and meaningful’ support from Government, which it says hasn’t been forthcoming.
It’s emerged there’s been no contact from Government circles to the Council, with the local authority telling Clare FM their position remains the same this week.
They say prior to the announcement, only ‘limited engagement’ had taken place between the two parties, with the last meeting with the Department of Transport understood to have taken place on November 21st.
The Shannon Airport Group, meanwhile, has told Clare FM that it has been in contact with both the Council and the Government over the past few days ‘to get clarity’ on the situation, and has been told discussions remain ongoing between the two.
The Taoiseach has also weighed in on the matter, saying the Government is continuing to ‘support’ both the Group and the Council to successfully complete the transfer.
In a letter responding to concerns raised by Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara, seen by Clare FM, Micheal Martin says the local authority and Shannon Airport Group have been asked to ‘continue their engagement’ on the issue.
