Donald Trump €10m plan for Doonbeg welcome, says lobbyist

Donald Trump's plan to build a €10 million coastal protection barrier for his golf links resort at Doonbeg in Co Clare has the overwhelming support of the local community, a local lobbyist has said.

Chairman of Doonbeg Community Development Co, John O'Dea, today said other communities along the Clare west coast facing the threat of erosion "would be delighted to have someone pay for coastal defences to protect their communities".

Mr O’Dea said the coastal protection works will not only protect the resort but a huge amount of farm land in the area as well.

Mr O’Dea pointed out he had seen the condition of the dunes at Doonbeg before and after the storms of 2014.

‘Say goodbye to dunes’

He said: “If you have two more storms like that, you can say goodbye to the dunes if something isn’t done now. Environmentalists talk about dunes regenerating themselves - but they won’t be able to regenerate themselves if they are washed away.”

Mr O'Dea made his comments on Wednesday as Clare County Council returned the planning application to the Trump group. It is now to go before An Bord Pleanála, where it will be decided whether the application is a Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) case or not.

If the board deems it is a SID, it will decide on the application and the plan will not go before Clare County Council.