The Green Party today welcomed the withdrawal of the initial application by Donald Trump’s Doonbeg golf course for planning permission for a 2.8km sea wall to protect the golf course from coastal erosion. Doonbeg are now seeking to install a modified proposal, involving protection measures at either end of the beach.
Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan TD said: “We’re glad President-Elect Trump has abandoned his plan for a sea wall along the length of the Doonbeg dune system. Credit is due to everyone involved in the campaign against this plan, which would have done real damage to this special ecological area. We will be asking the same scientific experts who advised us on our own earlier objection to consider the new revised proposal. We want to protect the local jobs but believe this can best be done by adapting the golf course to the local environment rather than interfering in what is an active dune system.”
Green Party Local Area Representative in Clare, Roisín Ní Gháirbhith said: “Today is a good day for ordinary people, who stood up against this ill-considered proposal. I am thankful to ‘Save the Wave’, who collected 100,000 signatures against the wall, Friends of the Irish Environment, and An Taisce, among others. It is a win for the local environment, the local community and local tourism. We will be closely assessing the new proposal, and will make a submission again if necessary.”