Minister for Tourism, James McDaid took himself to Shannon this week to announce a box of goodies, including £500,000 for the development of a £4.5 million International Folk Music Centre in Ennis. His colleague, local deputy Sile de Valera has already stumped up £1.5 million and Clare Co Council and Ennis Urban Council have also found £1.5 million, including the cost of the land. So far, so good.
Unfortunately, the expected EU regional fund support has not come up to scratch and Ennis is short by £600,000 of seeing its dream come true. It is being darkly whispered in Co Clare that some of the EU money was diverted to the reconstruction of the Jeanie Johnston Famine ship in Blennerville, Co Kerry. Shannon Development denies this. Its spokesman says both projects had to compete on their merits for the available EU funds.
McDaid told a press conference in Shannon he would "not be found wanting" in relation to the £600,000 shortfall. What the Minister meant by this, his spokesman said, is that he will not be found wanting in encouraging the private sector in the mid-west to stump up the money to complete a project which will bring the region such enormous economic benefits.