Vol. 418 No. 7
119 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline, (a) the number of submissions from the public which were made to the Office of Public Works in connection with the proposed interpretative centre at Mullaghmore, County Clare and (b) the number of these submissions which urged that the project proceed as planned.
The total number of submissions received on the environmental impact statement was 520. Of these, 349 were in favour of the project proceeding at the proposed location.
A total of 171 were opposed to the project. Many of these had gone first to institutions such as the European Commission and were received after the deadline for receipt of submissions had passed. It is clear that a large proportion of the submissions opposing the project were made as a direct result of a letter circulated by the English organisation "Plantlife", which asked members to write opposing the project on specific points mentioned by them. I have, nevertheless, taken these submissions into account as valid even though they did not meet the requirements of the statutory notice. There may be a few more of this type of submission transmitted to other agencies, but at this stage there is little scope for including these as valid submissions.
Although the vast majority of submissions in favour of the project are from individuals and organisations in the local community the important issue in assessing the EIS and response is to answer the criticisms and concerns raised in those submissions opposing the development.
