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THERE ARE FEARS now among locals in Doonbeg that the Trump organisation may pull out of Doonbeg.
That is according to local business-woman, Rita McInerney who said on Wednesday that she is “devastated” over the An Bord Pleanala decision to refuse planning permission to Trump Doonbeg’s contentious plans for coastal protection works for the west Clare links course.
The ruling by An Bord Pleanala overturns a decision made by Clare County Council in December 2017 to give the Trump firm the go-ahead for 38,000 tonnes of rock to be placed in front of the course at Doughmore beach.
McInerney stated: “I’m shocked, upset and surprised at the decision and I’ve been in touch with others here today and there is a real fear locally that Trump may now pull out of Doonbeg”.
In response to the appeals board ruling, General Manager of Trump Doonbeg, Joe Russell said: “We are very disappointed and are considering our options.”
McInerney – who unsuccessfully contested the recent general election for Fianna Fail in Clare – stated that the refusal now also places a question mark over the €40 million plan granted planning permission at Trump Doonbeg last October.
The €40 million plan includes 53 holiday homes, a ballroom/function room, a leisure centre and a new restaurant.
Chairman of the Doonbeg Community Development Co and local farmer, John Flanagan staled that the An Bord Pleanála decision “has ripped the heart out of us”.
Flanagan stated that he fears the long-term consequences of the decision is to make the resort unviable to run.
He said: “If that happens, it will destroy west Clare with 300 jobs lost.”
He stated: “I’m absolutely gutted. No one objected locally to this and I’m horrified that people in Dublin couldn’t see the benefit of what was planned.”
Plans for first lodged in December 2016 and the Trump company, TIGL Ireland Enterprises Limited had warned that a ‘do nothing’ scenario “will bring the viability of the entire resort and its potential closure into question”.
Now, in its ruling, the appeals board has stated that it is not satisfied that the proposed development would not result in adverse effects on the physical structure, functionality and sediment supply of dune habitat within the Carrowmore Dunes Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
The appeals board further stated that it is precluded from granting planning permission as it was not satisfied beyond reasonable scientific doubt that the proposed development would not adversely affect the integrity of the Carrowmore Dunes SAC in view of the site’s conservation objectives.
The proposal enjoyed local support in Doonbeg but the case came before the board after a number of parties appealed and they include well-known environmental, Peter Sweetman, Friends of the Irish Environment, An Taisce, the Save Doughmore-Doonbeg Beach Community Group and the Save the Waves Coalition.
The Doonbeg company told the appeals board if the natural erosion process is allowed to continue on the SAC at the site it would result in a loss of 36% of the dune habitat over a 50 year period.
Ian Lumley of An Taisce welcomed the decision.
He stated: “This is an important vindication of the need to have an independent national planning appeals body making decisions on a scientific and ecological basis. The golf resort at Doonbeg now needs to work with nature in the future in maintaining the structure and ecological integrity of the dune system.”
However, independent Clare TD, Michael McNamara stated that he was “very concerned” over the board’s decision.
He stated: “We need to look very carefully at this decision to see how the dunes and the golf course, as well as farms and homes behind these dunes can be protected in a manner compatible with the environment.”
He added: “There simply has to be a way to do so, particularly as much stone, which formed a natural barrier, was removed for roadworks in previous decades,”
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Thank God for that
@John O Donoghue: Theres already enough jobs being lost in the country..The local economy in Doonbeg relies almost solely on the resort. I’m no fan of the man himself but you have to look at the bigger picture.
@John O Donoghue: beyond stupid comment
@Damien: It’s not like he’s going to move it to New Jersey.
@Damien: The bigger picture is what Bord Pleanala is there to look at. And they have. If Trump sells it it’s likely to be bought by someone else and would probably do better under someone else since so many wouldn’t set foot on a Trump property.
@KilkennyProud: another stupid comment
@Sandra Duffy: would the someone else pump €40m into it to develop it?
@John O Donoghue: agreed. It’s a viable property that will be bought by someone else. Jobs will not disappear. Trump will, and good riddance
@Damien: Someone else will buy it, calm down
@John O Donoghue: please elaborate..don’t understand
@Garvan Gallagher: tell that to those who lost their jobs wen it last closed, it’s the only show in town. Honestly sum people in big cities dont know what goes on outside 10 miles of their shoebox.
@Damien: Bigger picture is another organisation would then acquire the property
@John O Donoghue: do you actually understand the potential consequences and ill considered commentary. Whilst not everyone may like mr trump he is prepared to develop, invest and grow the resort while offering a reasonable design proposal to protect the coastline. There is nothing wrong with costal protection measures once designed and installed properly.
Mr trump is willing to invest in and support the local community for the benefit of the local area, county, region and country. Doing nothing is not a solution, rise up and get behind this development. This area needs jobs, visitors and and an international tourist offering.
This is a beautiful area that mr trump is prepared to develop in an environmentally friendly manner and deserves the good will of the community.
@Gordon Comstock: after the apocalypse, sure why not?
@Michael J Ryan: He is not. Read this again
The appeals board has stated that it is not satisfied that the proposed development would not result in adverse effects on the physical structure, functionality and sediment supply of dune habitat within the Carrowmore Dunes Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
2 different expert boards disagree with a man who has a record of sharp practises
Good riddance
@Cornpop Malarkey:
Too the lost employment?
@Raven: it’s only Trup that might be leaving, the club is staying – he would be selling it, not setting it on fire.
@Raven: Somone owned it before, someone better can own it after that turd. They’re not good jobs anyway and he has used Jobspath or whatever it’s called. In fairness it looks fairly grotty so someone who is less of a crook would bring more business and hopefully run it better.
@Cornpop Malarkey: they’re not good jobs? Are you actually serious
@Stephen McManus: comment of the day
@Cornpop Malarkey: “Crook, Turd”? Some cheek when you’re the one with the profile pic of a notorious racist an homophobe. Take a look in the mirror.
@G Fitz: Yes, they are shit jobs, minimum wage in the main, some paid from Jobsbridge.
@Raven: I’m sorry, I don’t have Trump in my profile pic. how dare you!
@Cornpop Malarkey: typical to deflect and it was closed wen trump bought it.
@Vote4Pedro: Che was a medical doctor who fought for the people. Smear him all you want. But he was a hero – you wouldn’t have been fit to wipe his bottom!
@Cornpop Malarkey:
Hero, He murdered gays and regularly passed derogatory racist comments to blacks, you’re a typical commie fool.
@Cornpop Malarkey:
“Fought for the people?”That’s a good laugh.
Under Castro and Guevara, concentration camps were created and filled with homosexuals, dissidents, Afro-Cuban priests and anyone else accused of crimes against the revolution. He helped set up the infamous camp Guanahacabibes camp in 1960. One of the reasons why gay men were placed in camps is because they were deemed ‘unfit to serve’ their mandatory time in the Cuban military.
Che referred to these groups of people as ‘s#um.’ He herded homosexuals, priests, dissidents and other ‘undesirables’ into buses and trucks where they were taken to the camps. A significant number of prisoner never returned from these camps, Murdered.
@Raven:
Also,
The notion that Che Guevara was a champion of freedom is completely erroneous. He had no problem forcing the people of Cuba to work long hours for little or no pay. Che was also opposed to free speech, religion, the press, protest, and assembly. As soon as the new regime assumed power, Che was instrumental in crushing dissenting voices and ensuring Cuba remained under the iron yoke of a dictator.
-
He died a trembling pitiful wreck, fitting for a man of his ilk.
@Raven: ah yeah, that old chestnut. He was a freedom fighter for the people and far more educated than you. I hope you have evidence for that smear. Plus he wasn’t a communist, either was Fidel, but sure you know best. And you contradict yourself, socialism does not divide by colour or creed, it sees all people as equals.
@Raven: While in the 90′s senators in US didn’t want homosexuals in the army. What’s your point? back then homosexuality was viewed as an aberration due to religious teaching. And you’re still not fit to wipe his ass. He was for equality and justice. Of course in a revolution people were incarcerated and killed. I don’t know what fluffy cloud you live on but you’d want to wake up a bit to reality.
@Cornpop Malarkey:
Sure he did. I think you need to step out of the twilight zone pal.
@Raven: I think you need to open your mind and buy a history book or two pal. Adios!
@Cornpop Malarkey:
Che Guevara: Doctor, Revolutionary, Racist, Homophobe, Murderer.
Sums him up just about right.
Shirt Man Bad :)
@Raven: I’d say you are more homophobic than auld Che was to be honest. You might quote some passages to prove his homophobia and how it differed from the anyone else at the time. I’m sure he’d more important things on his mind than gay fellows at the time.
@Cornpop Malarkey:
Grab one of your history books on the subject, it’s all in there and historical fact, Comrade.
@Cornpop Malarkey: ah…have you ever been there? Trump saw a diamond in the rough when he saw that place…its stunningly beautiful there and adds so much to the locals and the local economy. Not that you care about that stuff…Che Guevara…so you support communism? Haha, best of luck with that idea man!
Qualified professional accessed the plan and decided it was not a good idea. Locals see it as losing jobs so want it regardless of whether it is a good idea yet “people in Dublin” don’t understand. We understand perfectly
@Craic_a_tower: What do ye understand about it ???
He really has a wall fetish.
@Scott Mcgarry: he’s protecting his investment from getting washed away he took it on when no one would touch it with a barge pole
There is a similar wall protecting Ballybunion golf course from erosion
I would never stay there as long as he owns it.
@Fred the Muss: likewise. In fact I’d never set foot in Doonbeg. Their kowtowing is nauseating.
@Sandra Duffy:
You’re talking through your @rse Sandra. What “kowtowing” are you on about?? You said that in another comment also. If you knew anything about Doonbeg or the people there you’d know how vital this development was. Trump bought the golf course ( admittedly at a knock down price) a few years ago when NO-ONE else wanted it. He’s pumped millions in, and was willing to pay for this rock wall – the same type of wall built in Lahinch a number of years ago that no one had a problem with and cost the tax payer millions. Who do you think is gonna buy this place if Trump pulls out?? The country is headed for another recession on the back of coronavirus. Coastal erosion has already had a devastating effect on not only the golf course but local land also. EVERY SINGLE person in Doonbeg wants this to happen. And by the way, I can’t stand Trump or his politics, but this will result in hundreds of lost jobs, as well as the loss of many perspective jobs on the back of this development.
@dan: So, local few jobs at any cost, and fűčķ the environment? Intelligent.
@Nick Caffrey:
This development IS to protect the dunes as well as the golf course . Have you ever been to Doonbeg or know anything about it? If it was anyone else but Trump going foround this it would have been done already as it has been in Lahinch.
@dan: not really. It causes build up elsewhere. They don’t want to interfere with the natural course to save a golf course. Locals see the income not the environment. There are actual professionals who looked at it. You nor I have the expertise to know better and the only reason you are questioning it is because you have a vested interest.
@Craic_a_tower: no vested interest whatsoever. Happen to have married a girl from near there, we live in Cork so it makes absolutely no difference to me what happens there. But I am familiar with the place and the people who will be devastated by this. This was granted planning, but the problem with this country is that anyone with €20 can lodge an appeal to any development in the country no matter where they live which is ridiculous
@Fred the Muss: specially when you consider how filthy his US properties are
@dan: you do have a vest interest because you know the people. This is not a €20 filed complaint but the planning department.
Another great decision from invisible an Board Pleanala burecrats.Welcome to Ireland…not.More ammo for Trump to continue his crusade to get Abbot,Boston Scientific back to the US.Who are these people that don’t want jobs for Irish people?
@Billy McNamara: people who have a broader brief than kowtowing to shortsighted locals.
@Sandra Duffy: I’d look a lot closer to home there Billy when talking about short-sightedness
@G Fitz: apologies Billy, that was for Sandra
@Sandra Duffy: People where ?? In Dublin on €150,000 a year.What do they care about “locals”where a local is depending on an income of €20,000 a year from Trump’s golf course.Trump wants to actually protect the seaside shore from erosion and protect the jobs of local people.What do you not understand about that.Do you wand Doonbeg to be a beach in a few years and all those “shortsighted locals ” signing on the dole?Get real Sandra.
@Sandra Duffy: O.K FCUK THE LOCALS—–
@Billy McNamara: Civil Servants Bill, the bane of this country
@G Fitz: No problem.G Fitz.
Regardless of whether its the right or wrong decision, how did it take 2 years and 2 months to overturn the original planning decision. No wonder it takes forever to get things built in this place…
@Conor Heffernan: because we have people in these departments ,if they had brains would be working in the private sector or have emigrated. They are crossing their i,s etc to cover there own asse s.
A useless bunch
@Larry Whelan. All of them,not most of them have’nt a clue where Doonbeg is .
Trump is a great friend of Ireland.
@Old Bill: Trump is a friend to nowhere and nobody.
@Sandra Duffy: u need to get the hop quickly, next up replace those dogs for cats
I bet that All of those agreeing with planning permission not given are
1.not living on clare,or have a cushy semi state job.
2.don’t understand how many people will be
Unemployed not to mention the companies providing products.
What’s wrong with a pile if rocks anyway.if you travel around our coast line there are millions of rocks in piles protecting our sand dunes from erosion.in this case it protects jobs as well.
A great decision, we need to leave space for nature and not turn the whole country into a flat infested concrete jungle.
@GO GREEN: You have no clue do you. His company wanting to go with a green option of using rocks. Not building a concrete wall, you may call yourself green but by using rocks to protect the golf course he would be helping save the dunes as well as providing more habitats for all sorts of life. Again Sweetman strikes from his keyboard in Dublin. He has caused the people of Clonlara hardship and now he wants to ruin the people of Doonbeg. Eco warriors are life destroyers, worry about your own doorstep and let people have what is right for them.
Good, let him off. A real man like Pat McDonagh might buy it.
@Martin: A bit off the beaten track for a supermacs.
@Damien: He’s in the hotel business too.
I reckon that fella has bigger concerns right now than a golf course he’s never sure what country it’s in.
What a shame. It would have been the bigliest , hugest , wonderfulist , most spectalulaistly fabulous wall ever !
@Barry Teehan: a terrific wall! A great wall, the most walliest wall ever
@Barry Teehan: a very very big wall. And trumps gonna make it happen.
Je suis Trump
@Ben Framingham: Et Moi, je suis Avec le Donald. #jeSuisTrumpetDunbeg.
What a stupid ruling. Were they planning to use plastic or chemicals? They want to make a protective barrier out of rock for God’s sake. What could be more natural?
@Thewestisbest: agreed the keyboard eco warriors are out holding productive people to ransom for the sake of their consciences. Sweetman and co cost people their family homes and the planning boards side with him and he is not even remotely affected by what goes on in the west of Ireland. To top it off they were using a green option, possbly increasing habitats, they sicken me.
Dont really understand why a protective coastal wall is needed anyway. Is climate change and rising sea levels not a total hoax, just like the virus?
Please give up the post colonial and famine mentality.
Delighted to hear this. Hope Trump and his crew leave and never come back.
@Woman On the Up: are u always on top
I wish Fred Trump had pulled out 74 years ago.
Is it because he didn’t get his own way .
Surfers should be banned from the beach due to their objections. They shouldnt be using it anyway as its dangerous with rip tides. That guy sweetman should be………
@Miller: Yeah ban all the surfers or anyone who objects to the Orange Man!
That man loves walls
@Madra: it’s not a wall. It’s rocks netted in wire
Pop down to Ballybunion and have a look
Admits no wonder sometime out country has trouble with foreign investment, take the Apple data center by the time planning was decided on Apple already had built one in Denmark 2 years to make a decision on this is disgraceful another place going to lose much needed investment to support the community just like athenry. All because of some bollox in Dublin on a keyboard who has nothing better to do than object to thugs he will never be near never see or never be close enough to be impacted by we need to re regulate who can object to such planning decisions ie live within a ten mile radius of the site etc, not because you want to protect some squirrels or a load of sand dunes that are going to be dragged into the sea anyway.. FYI I’m not a trump supporter but O do support communities not missing out on investment because of these bums with nothing else to do 2 years to make a decision wonder how much that decision cost in meeting surveyors etc over that period and who paid for it for an bird pleana
This is a ridiculous, petty and politically-motivated decision by An Bord Pleanala to deny a perfectly sound and reasonable application by Trump Doonbeg. There was no good reason for overturning the original decision, by Clare County Council, in favour of the coastal protection works. Trump Doonbeg should seek a judicial review of this absurd decision by the Dublin-based An Bord Pleanala.
@J. Reid:
The Clare Co Co decision should be fully respected, as surely there’s broad consensus that such an entity will only make decisions on what’s best for local community and county’s coastline. Trust locals! Doonbeg facility needs protection from sea. And Trump Corporation is happy to pay to protect its interests. Let them at it, urgently!
Ireland has approx 3,000 miles of coastline, and the few remote bits with massive tourism growth potential, especially locations on western seaboard, WAW, adjacent to International Airports, shouldn’t be thwarted by unaffected, unelected, clueless on regional economic matters, I’m-alright-Jacks, keyboard warriors largely based in Dublin.
Just let The Donald invest his funds at Doonbeg. Like him or loath him, 300 jobs is not to be sneezed at.
Save the Waves Coalition….ah for jaysus sake….
The man who denies climate change can’t get permission to build a wall to protect his property from it.
Won’t be the first time trump pulled out of some one called Clare
Good riddance. Sell it to someone who isn’t a turd. Though knowing Trumps legendary vindictiveness he may just let it go to wrack and ruin.
Planning decisions should be made without regard to the wishes of rich people and the fear that they may take their business elsewhere if they are not allowed to do as they wish.
Another day when I so much miss the green thumb / red thumb buttons. Trump was never long for Doonbeg – this should hasten the Gaslighter-in-Chief’s inevitable departure from Ireland. Ye are better off without him!
Yeah let him go ! No bother like!
The entire leisure economy is sh@gged for the next 5 years now anyway. It’ll make the hotel, pub and golf course closures after the 2008 crash look like a friendly game of monopoly.
Trump could pull out, but he is unlikely to for at least a year as nobody will be making the level of investment so as to buy it from him, and I don’t think he will want to take the hit.
Anyway, he might move in permanently after Jan 2021, he’ll need somewhere to go and sulk.
And why is that a problem?
Like Trump would have paid
Least of their worries Ffs!
Well the local tds can get off their asses, earn their fat salaries and cushy pensions and try to generate better jobs for the local community rather than be dependent on a creep like Trump. The indignity of it. Better education, Irish people take to education like fishes to water. Invite higher skilled industry..Stop brown nosing! I’m glad an nord planeala rejected it. Good riddance to Trump.
Good riddance, won’t be missed.
Thank god for that.sooner the better,someone else will take it over.
How can one become a member of An Taisce? Is it a democratic organisation?
Every cloud…
I think we have to worry about enough then this
@Damien Kearns: your right we do have enough to worry about, exactly this is a distraction from every other article, while it’s good to stay informed watching the news all night for an update is or checking the phone every few minutes is not going to change nothing it’s scary yes. But if we can’t beat this with our minds we will never beat it with our souls for our freedom from a different world.
have your say