Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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482. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide details of any submission or correspondence received by his Department from Limerick City and County Council, Clare County Council and/or the University of Limerick regarding the proposed development of an economic strategic development zone at Gillogue, Clonlara, County Clare; his views on the decision by the University of Limerick and Clare County Council to withdraw a joint planning application for the said development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15587/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department received a written request from the Chief Executive (CE) of Clare County Council and the President of the University of Limerick on 24 January 2022 seeking designation of lands as the South Clare/University of Limerick Economic Strategic Development Zone (SDZ).

Further to a meeting between my Department and Clare County Council and the University of Limerick in April 2022, my Department issued a formal response to the request in August 2022, seeking further detail in relation to the proposal. A response to this request was received in March 2023, setting out some further detail.

Further to a subsequent meeting between my Department and Clare County Council and the University of Limerick in July 2023, a more comprehensive proposal for the SDZ was submitted to my Department in April 2024, in the form of a land use masterplan.

On examination of this correspondence, my Department noted that parties to the original request (or their successors) had not undersigned the submission. To clarify the matter, correspondence was sent to the parties in order to confirm in writing that the submission was made on their behalf. Subsequent correspondence received from the University of Limerick in June 2024 requested time to consider the April submission.

The President of the University of Limerick (acting) wrote to the CE of Clare County Council in November 2024 stating that following a review of the request, it was the view of the University and its Governing Authority that the application to seek SDZ designation should be withdrawn. A copy of this correspondence was also sent to my Department. On the basis of this correspondence, the request for SDZ designation has not been progressed.

My Department has not received any correspondence from Limerick City and County Council in relation to this matter.