Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask a question that has been recurring in the Dáil Chamber in the past few weeks. It relates to the transfer of Shannon Heritage to the local authorities in the mid-west, principally Clare County Council. I acknowledge that the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has been forthcoming in engaging with us in the county about the matter. I went to meet the workers again last weekend. They find themselves caught in the middle. There is an interdepartmental working group and a local authority and a Shannon Airport group which will pass over to Clare County Council in due course. They find themselves in a state of limbo. The infrastructure in the folk park is deteriorating. I saw the historic main gate of the castle is now propped up with concrete blocks. It has been neglected and is not being looked after. The transfer needs to happen. We need a definitive answer about what will happen and when the interdepartmental group will conclude its work and give a recommendation to Government.

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