Clare County Council has announced that it's partnering with Clare GAA to deliver a 200-space car park at the Cloister in Ennis town centre.

In July 2022, Clare GAA secured planning permission for the development, which is adjacent to Cusack Park.

Kieran Keating, Chairperson of Clare GAA, said: "Clare GAA are pleased to pursue this joint venture with Clare County Council to proceed to develop our lands at the ‘Cloister’ car park as it is known. This project provides obvious benefits for both Clare GAA and the town of Ennis, and we are currently working with Clare County Council to finalise the detail of the project."

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Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, stated: "The local authority is delighted to enter this joint venture with Clare GAA to deliver the car park. With planning permission already secured, our aim is to construct the surface car park before the end of 2024.

"Clare County Council wishes to acknowledge both Clare GAA and Pat Keogh for making their properties at the Cloister available for public carparking since 2019. This was a particularly important gesture that helped to support social distancing and the town to remain safely open to customers during the pandemic.

"We are also looking forward to the new town bus service scheduled for early next year which will help to take some pressure off car parking. People will have access to a bus every half hour, 18 hours a day, 7 days a week."

The development of this permanent car park at the Cloister comes after last month's

announcement by Clare County Council that a Part VIII planning application is being prepared for the provision of new car parking spaces at the Waterpark Campus, which will bring the number of parking spaces at the Drumbiggle site to 136.

Photo: Brian Arthur.