Cape residents say islands plan will only add to delays

CAPE Clear representatives have responded with disappointment and derision to the Department of Rural and Community Development’s new plan for the islands.

On Wednesday the Department issued a statement saying the ambitious new 10-year policy comes with 80 points of action to support sustainable island living.

However, Séamus Ó Drisceoil told The Southern Star: ‘We just want one thing – four gateway houses on a site near the local school, Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Cléire.’

In that respect he said the plan is only offering further delays. Mr Ó Drisceoil read from a statement issued by Minister Heather Humphreys which promises ‘forthcoming planning guidelines for rural housing to recognise unique challenges facing our offshore island communities.’

Séamus said Cape Clear is in dire need of housing. 

‘We submitted a planning application well over a year ago, which the island co-operative was asked to withdraw pending this report.

‘We were told the rural planning guidelines do not allow clusters of houses to be built in the countryside. We were waiting for this report in order to renew the planning application, but all that is in this report is a statement saying they will be doing something about the planning guidelines some time in the future.

‘Everything,’ he said, ‘is always forthcoming, that’s why we are so disappointed, especially when what we are looking for on Cape Clear was actually written in black and white in the 1996 Cork County Council West Cork Islands Development Plan.’