April 20th 2021,
Members of the public, community organisation’s and tourism stakeholders are being asked for their input on the formulation of a long-term strategy for the Cliffs of Moher. Clare County Council is working, with a multi-disciplinary consultancy team led by Haley Sharpe Design, to prepare the Cliffs of Moher Strategy 2040.
The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience is the most visited natural attraction in Ireland attracting 1.6m visitors during 2019. The popular visitor site is also a signature discovery point on Fáilte Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, the main Geosite of the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Geopark, a Special Protected Area for Birds and Wildlife and is a wholly-owned tourism asset of Clare County Council.
Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor Mary Howard commented, “With the public’s support, Clare County Council aims to identify and address key challenges and opportunities for the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience and the wider Clare tourism sector during the coming months. The public’s participation in the preparation process is crucial so that the proposals can address everybody’s aspirations for the Cliffs and the benefits it can bring to the county.”
The focus of the strategy development process to date has been on extensive preliminary research, on-site investigations, and desktop studies to understand the challenges facing the Cliffs of Moher and to identify potential opportunities for helping to realise future aspirations.
“We now need local communities, organisations, schools, businesses, and residents, to be involved and help us,” explained Leonard Cleary, Director of Rural Development, Clare County Council. “The collective feedback that we receive will play an important role in confirming key issues for the future development at the Cliffs.”
Mr. Cleary noted that the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience has important economic benefits for Clare and the revenue it generates also supports other tourism projects across the County’s four Municipal Districts.
“The strategy is focused on creating world-class experiences, enhancing the special qualities of the site and growing the Cliffs of Moher’s contribution to the county in a sustainable way,” he explained. “The Strategy is a joint initiative between Clare County Council and Fáilte Ireland and it will inform future developments at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience. Capacity issues, a requirement for upgrade and investment, sparked the necessity to set out a sustainable future for the site and to maximise the economic benefit to County Clare for the next 20 years and beyond.”
Geraldine Enright, Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, described the public consultation process as “comprehensive” and added it is intended that a “wide net will be cast to enable participation in this listening process.”
Ms. Enright said the consultation will take many forms including online workshops, feedback sessions, focus groups, written submissions, and surveys.
“There will be many opportunities for the public and interested stakeholders to have their say and these will be widely publicised throughout the county,” she stated. “This process will begin in late April or early May with display information and online question and answer sessions to ensure conversation and stimulate debate on the key issues.”
The first stage of the Consultation Process is closing on 24th September 2021. Any further submissions or comments should be forwarded prior to that date com2040@haleysharpe.com
The second stage of the Consultation Process will focus on the Draft Masterplan Proposals. This information and a programme of the opportunities for further engagement will be issued in October.
Look out for public and stakeholder consultation opportunities.
- Workshops
- Focus Groups
- Feedback Sessions
- Written Submissions
- Surveys