Clare County Council insists it’s focused on creating a sustainable tourism model at the Cliffs of Moher, rather than increasing visitor numbers.
The dust is settling on a new report which has identified a number of problems with the North Clare attraction and has made 39 recommendations regarding its future.
The 246-page report, published a week after a leaked version surfaced, has been prepared by consulting firm TOBIN on behalf of Clare County Council, in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development, Fáilte Ireland and Clare Local Development Company.
Its publication comes as the Southern Trail of the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk from Liscannor to Hags Head remains closed pending safety works.
Additionally, a 500-metre section of the Northern Trail, one kilometre north of the Visitor Centre isn’t currently open to the public.
A key recommendation of the report is that Clare County Council should manage, operate, market and maintain the Coastal Walk, with a dedicated board of expertise and a full-time Coastal Walk Manager to be appointed.
Director of the Cliffs Of Moher Visitor Experience, Geraldine Enright insists this is crucial to ensure health and safety standards are adhered to and that landowners’ interests are protected.
One observation of the report is that there’s a fenceline in place for long stretches of the walk, but users have to walk on the seaward side, which gives users the impression that the entire trail is safe.
To eliminate safety concerns, it’s recommended that a new route be established for the Northern Trail, incorporating the Old Liscannor to Doolin road at a cost of roughly €420,000.
Any improvements or alterations to the trail must be agreed to by every landowner, which gives them an effective veto.
Local landowner, tour guide and North Clare IFA Chairperson Pat Sweeney believes farmers weren’t adequately consulted with.
Of the 1.5 million people who visited the world-renowned attraction last year, just 7% stayed overnight in Clare.
Clare County Council Director of Service Tourism Development, Siobhán McNulty says the goal must be to harness the potential economic impact of such high tourist numbers.
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