Clare Councillors are calling on the government to ensure that plans for a one billion euro investment in the Mid West do not fall by the wayside.
Planned developments by Shannon LNG could create up to 1,000 jobs for the region, but last evening’s meeting of the local authority heard that proposed energy tariffs could halt the project.
Clare County Council is calling on Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte to ‘urgently intervene’ to stop the Commissioner for Energy Regulation introducing tariffs which could scupper the plans by Shannon
The facility, which would be located at a Shannon Development owned site at Ballylongford in Kerry, would lead to the creation of up to 640 jobs during construction, as well as another 100 when in operation.
A combined heat and power plant at an adjacent site could create half as many – the overall cost is one billion euro.
However, the company has threatened to pull the plug on the project if the Commissioner precedes with a proposal to force it to pay a tariff for gas interconnectors it would not use.
On foot of a presentation last evening, the Council’s called on Minister Rabbitte to intervene, and local representatives are also seeking a meeting with him.
