AN outline on the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan for the Shannon Estuary has been given to city councillors by RPS Consultants.
The high level plan to manage the Shannon going forward is an economic driven initiative, which has the support of the Development Plans for Limerick, Clare and Kerry.
It was underlined to the councillors that Shannon Foynes Port company is producing a Master plan to develop the estuary’s hinterlands.
In response to a query, Alan Barr, making the presentation, said he is not aware of any plans to develop Foynes Island and he also confirmed that there are significant deficiencies in sewerage treatment in a number of towns along the estuary where only primary treatment is used.
Emphasising that this must be addressed, Mr Barr told the meeting: “There will be only one plan for the Shannon Estuary which must be adopted by all four local authorities.
“There is a wealth of information on the Shannon Estuary and an assessment is required on the bird life and ecology in order to safeguard them.
“A steering group of the councils involved, as well as the port company and Shannon Airport, will produce a report by August”.
Commending the presentation as “well balanced,” Mayor Jim Long, queried the port company’s intention of developing Foynes Island
“What would be the implications of this,” he asked, and Cllr Michael Hourigan wanted to know who will have the final decision, while Cllr Gerry McLoughlin wondered how the plan would impact on Limerick city’s biodiversity plans
While it was stressed that there is no awareness of plans to develop the island, other than to utilise it for industry, it was pointed out that “there would be no point in developers wasting money in an environmentally sensitive area.
“There are areas of the shoreline that could be used for bird life – we should be able to balance maintaining wild life and developing industry as well and we should be able to use this to highlight the deficiencies but one plan must be adopted by all – that plan must be adopted by the four local authorities involved.
“We will be looking at areas of the sea to ascertain what their potential could be”.
