Clare County Council has spent over €30 million on land acquisitions in the last decade.
New figures released by the local authority show almost €12 million has spent been in the last two years alone on land for housing, strategic landbanks and infrastructural projects across the county.
The data has been provided by Clare County Council’s Interim Chief Executive Carmel Kirby in response to a joint motion tabled by 12 councillors in relation to the €8 million acquisition at two sites at the Cliffs of Moher in 2023.
The acquisition came to light at last month’s meeting of the local authority and the motion asks for the rationale of the purchase to be explained and for a commitment to “timely engagement” on similar purchases in the future as well as a breakdown of lands purchased in 2024.
The local authority says it acquires land on an ongoing basis for the purpose of road realignment, road widening, flood relief, housing development and other infrastructure improvements.
In the last 10 years, it’s purchased land at a cost of €34 million with €23 million of this spent within the last five years.
A total of €11.9 million has been spent on land in the last two years alone; €9.4 million of which was expended in 2023 with the remaining €2.5 million spent in 2024.
Housing land at Claureen and Ashline accounts for €1.8 million of this while strategic landbank purchases at Kilrush, Liscannor, Bunratty, Lisdoonvarna, Crusheen, Kilkee and Mountshannon add up €9.8 million.
The remaining €299,553 meanwhile went towards acquisitions for infrastructural projects at Killaloe, Quin and Springfield.
