It’s feared children could be at risk due to health and safety issues at a Clarecastle derelict site.
Residents of the fishing village have once again voiced their concerns about the site known as Devine’s Field which was intended to be the location of a shopping centre during the Celtic Tiger.
Once the home ground of Clarecastle GAA, Devine’s Field is located on the village’s main street on the banks of the River Fergus opposite the historic castle and barracks.
Planning permission was granted in 2006 for the construction of a 131-unit mixed-use development on the site consisting of commercial units, residential units, office spaces and an underground car park.
After the developer went bankrupt, the site went into receivership and the planning permission expired.
Although the site is currently privately-owned, it is being used by Clare County Council as a material storage yard.
Clarecastle Sinn Féin local election candidate Tommy Guilfoyle, who used to live opposite the site, has called on the local authority to take control of it due to the alleged presence of rats in the vicinity.
Ennis Municipal District has confirmed it removed a “large stockpile” of material from the site in October 2023 and is in negotiations with a landowner regarding a potential site of an alternative storage yard.
Clarecastle Fine Gael Councillor Paul Murphy, who raised the issue at a recent meeting of local representatives, fears an accident could occur if the council doesn’t take action soon.
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