Kilrush (including Cappa Village and Pier) on the integrity of these SAC and SPA sites, or the integrity of any other European sites, as a result of the proposed development. Accordingly, objectives set out in Volume 1 of the Plan relating to European sites and to appropriate assessment will apply to any future development proposals in this area. The Natura Impact Report accompanying this plan (Volume 10a) provides relevant mitigation measures and recommendations at site and project level. There are currently no Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) or proposed Natural Heritage Areas (pNHAs) within the Plan area, but it is recognised that there are three proposed NHAs in close proximity, namely Scattery Island pNHA, St Senan’s Lough pNHA, and Poulnasherry Bay pNHA. Employment and Enterprise he Regional Economic and Spatial Strategy for the Southern Region (RSES) recognises and supports the economic role and potential of Kilrush as an economic driver in a potential North Kerry/West Limerick/Clare network, along with Listowel, Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West, connected with the Shannon Estuary (and Shannon Foynes Port). This plan supports the concept of settlement networks, to assist collaborative projects and the sharing of assets and strengths, the strengthening of the viability of the existing settlements along the Estuary and the maintenance and expansion of existing population levels and essential services and roles, including cross-county collaboration. Objectives for the Shannon Estuary are contained in Volume 1, Chapter 12 of this Plan together with Volume 7 which contains the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan for the Shannon Estuary. Moneypoint Power Station has played an important role in the economy of Kilrush for over 30 years. With the burning of coal due to cease at the plant in 2025, the recent announcement by ESB of plans to establish a green energy hub at Moneypoint is welcome. The green energy hub will service Ireland’s offshore wind energy industry off the West Coast of Clare and Kerry and will ensure that Moneypoint retains its strategic power generation and power transmission position in the national grid infrastructure. The potential economic benefit for Kilrush, County Clare and the Mid-West region is significant, in particular in the job creation potential servicing of the multi-billion off-shore wind industry in its on-shore and off-shore economic activity, the fabrication and assembly of the wind turbines and the servicing of all down-stream economic activity. In addition, the green energy hub will help to achieve our climate action goals including a reduction of greenhouse gases and reduced carbon footprint. In tandem with the green energy hub, there will be a need to retrain the existing workforce and to increase knowledge in the wider workforce as the offshore renewable energy sector grows. In this regard, an opportunity exists to establish a maritime training facility in West Clare within close proximity to Moneypoint to meet this demand and to provide ongoing training in the area. In 2017 Clare County Council received funding from the Enterprise Ireland Regional Development Fund to carry out a Feasibility Study on the Potential Development of a Maritime Centre of Excellence in Co. Clare. Following the preparation of the feasibility study, the Council successfully secured an additional €1.78 million through the Enterprise Ireland __________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029
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