Jan O'Sullivan, TD, Minister for Planning, will be in Clare later this week to launch a major strategic plan for the future development and management of marine-related industry and tourism along Ireland's largest estuary, the Shannon Estuary.

The launch of the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) for the Shannon Estuary at The Inn at Dromoland will be attended by 19 stakeholders engaged in the development and management of the Estuary.

The land and marine-based plan, the first of its type to be developed in the country, has been commissioned by a multi-agency steering group comprising Clare County Council as lead authority, Limerick City and County Councils, Kerry County Council and Shannon Foynes Port Company.

Over the coming months, the SIFP will be incorporated into the relevant County and City Development Plans in counties Clare, Limerick and Kerry.

The Shannon Estuary features 500km2 of navigable water running from Loop Head and Kerry Head as far as Limerick City, a distance of 100km. The Estuary is Ireland's premier deepwater port, routinely catering for ships up to 200,000 deadweight tonnage, with key ports at Limerick and Foynes. It is home to a number of large industries and employers, including ESB Moneypoint, Aughinish Alumina, Tarbert Power Station, Shannon Airport and NORA Fuel Reserve. Meanwhile, the Estuary supports a variety of economic uses but is also rich in natural resources, wildlife and ecosystems.

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The newly launched SIFP identifies 9 'Strategic Sites' on the Estuary, namely Moneypoint, Innismurry/Cahercon (Clare), Limerick Docks, Foynes Island, Foynes Port and adjoining lands, Askeaton Industrial Estate, Aughinish Island, (Limerick), and Tarbert Power Station and Ballylongford Landbank (Kerry). For the most part, these sites are zoned for 'Marine-Related Industry' with Askeaton zoned for 'Industry' and Limerick Docks zoned for 'Mixed Use'. In some cases, the zonings confirm existing large scale developments but additional lands for expansion and some new sites are also identified.

The SIFP identifies Moneypoint and Tarbert Power Stations as 'Key Energy Sites' in addition to Ballylongford Landbank, the site of the permitted liquefied natural gas (LNG) Project. The Plan names Moneypoint (Clare) as an opportunity site for renewable energy, with opportunities for servicing offshore renewable energy developments also identified.

There is a similar approach to fishing and aquaculture with eight separate opportunity sites identified on the Estuary, including designated Shell Fish Waters at Poulnasherry Bay and Carrigaholt Bay in County Clare. Other areas of opportunity include Rinevella Bay, Killimer and Clonderlaw Bay in Clare.

The Plan recognises the tourism potential of the Estuary and includes objectives to further develop the Cruise Ship industry, while it highlights the potential of the Islands on the Fergus Estuary.

Meanwhile, the strategy features objectives relating to aviation and supports the future development of Shannon Airport, including acknowledging the importance of the 2000-acre land bank zoned for aviation uses in the Shannon Town & Environs Local Area Plan 2012-2018.

(CD/JP)