Mullaghmore () is a 180 metre (590') limestone hill in the Burren in Glenquin, Kilnaboy County Clare, Ireland. It is part of a hiking trail called the Mullaghmore Loop in the Burren National Park.
Burren Visitor Centre Controversy
Throughout the 1990s, a long running conflict about a proposed visitor centre.
In April 1991, the Minister of State of the Irish Department of Finance announced a plan for the construction of an interpretative visitors' centre at Mullaghmore by the Office of Public Works (OPW). This would have made use of EU Regional and Social funds earlier allocated by the European Commission after a general approval of the Irish tourism program that did not, however, take a stand on any specific projects.
The proposal quickly resulted in opposition from a number of groups and individuals. These different groups came together in the Burren Action Group or BAG. They worked out an alternative proposal for a visitor centre. However, there was also a counter-mobilisation by prominent representatives of local communities. These included groups such as the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA), the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), as well as politicians from the centre-right. Their coalition became known as Burren National Park Support Association and emphasized the economic potential of the OPW proposal as well as the prospect of much needed jobs in a high unemployment area.
In June 1991, the WWF UK lodged a complaint against the project with the European Commission. It was later joined by An Taisce. They argued that the project would be in violation of Community law regarding the protection of groundwater. In February 1992, OPW published an environmental impact assessment, at the request of the commission. This, as well as a follow-up study, were criticized by the WWF.
In early 1992 a car park was cleared at the site, sewage works commenced and foundations for the centre were constructed.
In October 1992, the Commission stated that it would not initiate a procedure against the Irish government on this issue.
By November 1992 seven key members of the BAG had sought an injunction at the Irish High Court against the construction work. This argued that the OPW's exemption from the need for planning permission was unconstitutional and that the OPW lacked the statutory power to build the visitor centre.
In December 1992, the WWF and An Taisce brought an action at the European Court of Justice, claiming that 2.7 million Irish pounds of Community funds allocated to the project should be suspended. The Court, however, dismissed the application.
In January 1993, a key political ally of BAG, Michael D. Higgins became Minister for Arts, Culture and Gaeltacht.
In early 1993 work at the proposed site stopped, following action by BAG at the Irish High Court. The High Court found in February that the OPW had unconstitutionally and illegally initiated construction and that it did indeed lack the relevant statutory power. OPW appealed, but the injunction was upheld.
Less than one week after the High Court decision, emergency legislation passed through both houses of the Irish parliament and was signed into law by the president. The State Authorities (Development and Management) Bill, 1993, made the OPW and other state organisations exempt from planning laws.
In June 1994 the High Court found that the OPW had the right to resume work under this newly introduced law. Minister Michael D. Higgins nevertheless stopped the project.
By March 1995 the state had abandoned plans to complete the centre and the OPW application for construction was withdrawn. This resulted in heavy criticism from those who had been in favour of the project, including local Fianna Fáil politicians. Minister Higgins commissioned a new overall plan for the Burren National Park. This aimed at retaining the majority of EU funding for a new centre to be based on more consensus. Some of the Community funds were to be used for the demolition of those structures already constructed.
The OPW did later try to go ahead with a scaled down version of the centre. This was supposed to consist of an entry point to the park, toilets, ranger accommodation and a roofed area on the site of the originally planned interpretive centre. There were also plans for a car park for 76 cars and to retain an existing water treatment facility on the site of a nearby quarry.