Vol. 528 No. 3
26 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the groups and bodies she will consult regarding access to the Burren National Park, County Clare; the consultations that have taken place since the decision of An Bord Pleanála to refuse permission for visitor facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29915/00]
I explained to the Deputy in my reply to Question No. 355 of 21 Samhain 2000 that, in view of the depth of feeling around the issue, it seemed prudent to me in the circumstances following the decision by An Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission for an entry point to the Burren National Park, to provide space for calm reflection on the search for a solution which would command broadly-based support. I believe that the time is now right to start the process and arrangements have been made to meet at official level with Clare County Council in the near future to open exploratory talks to establish in general what options may exist in the whole north Clare area.
This issue is an important and complex one, and the necessary time must be taken to get it right. Clearly, all relevant views must be factored into the deliberations that will take place and, when the available options have been identified, ample opportunity for consultation must be provided for all interested parties. In the meantime, I will be happy to receive proposals or views from anyone who feels they can contribute to resolving this issue, and any views received will be taken into account.
