*Gearoid Mannion of Save Ennis Town. Photograph: Tom Micks
SAVE ENNIS TOWN have criticised the approach of Clare County Council management in favouring secrecy over transparency when it comes to Ennis 2040.
An urgent meeting was recently requested by Save Ennis Town with Interim Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Carmel Kirby. Chairman of Save Ennis Town, Gearoid Mannion confirmed to The Clare Echo that they didn’t receive an acknowledgement to such a request.
Company accounts for Ennis 2040 DAC show a total loss of €52,331 for 2023.
According to Mannion there is unease among the public over the future finances of the company, the lack of information for future plans particularly the car parks at Abbey Street and Parnell Street.
He told The Clare Echo, “Unfortunately, the ‘information vacuum’ around these key issues continues. The lack of engagement and information available to the public surrounding the current status of the Ennis 2040 project is causing concern in the county capital and beyond. We are now hearing from town retailers, and the general public, of concern around the finances of Ennis 2040 DAC, who appear intent on proceeding to the planning stage of this project without any real engagement to address the concerns of the people of the town and county”.
Ennis councillors will attend an in-camera workshop with senior officials in the Council and Ennis 2040 DAC on March 4th. Such a gathering should be open to the public, the Chair of Save Ennis Town maintained. “Recently we requested an urgent meeting with the Interim Chief Executive of Clare County Council to address our concerns and as yet we have recieved no response. We now hear that Clare County Council and Ennis 2040 DAC intend to hold a private workshop with councillors behind closed doors to brief them on what is happening. Why are the public not allowed access to this information? We don’t need more secrecy, what we need now is transparency. The public need to know what is happening with this project which has the potential to have such a detrimental effect on the county capital.
“It is now a year or more since Clare County Council / Ennis 2040 DAC held a series of public engagement events regarding the proposed developments. At the time of these events, assurances were given that feedback from those who attended these presentations would be made available. Unfortunately, to date, none of this information has been published. As a community based group, Save Ennis Town fully supports the future development of Ennis and acknowledges the many positive aspects of the Ennis 2040 proposals, but we regard the plans for our two riverside car parks as misguided and potentially destructive to the social and economic fabric of our town,” he added.
