Green energy could unlock potential of Roche site
A commitment in the Fine Gael election manifesto could be the key to unlock the potential of the former Roche manufacturing site in Clarecastle becoming a Green Energy Industrial Park employing hundreds of highly skilled workers.
Clare General Election candidate and Clarecastle native Leonora Carey says that Fine Gael’s plan of leveraging renewable energy to establish new industries in regional locations has specific relevance to the former pharmaceutical site.
Almost €100 million is being spent on clearing the 90 acre site in what its Swiss pharma company owners have described as one of the largest remediation projects of its type in Europe.
“This work, which will take another five years to complete, will transform the site into an ecologically clean area and an attractive investment location for sustainable industry,” Ms Carey explained.
In its draft corporate plan published last month, Clare County Council described Roche as a ‘world class opportunity site’. The plan outlined a series of proposals including securing lands for new access to the area and engaging in community consultation to identify means of securing sustainable employment on the site by 2027.
Ms Carey said that this was in line with the Fine Gael manifesto which committed the party to develop Green Energy Industrial Parks as a way of attracting large-scale investments in regional locations, co-located with renewable generation, and inspired by successful international models.
“The remediation work on the site is due to be completed in 2017 with the entire decommissioning process scheduled to finish in mid 2029, when the groundwater validation monitoring phase is complete and the EPA licence is officially surrendered,” she said.
“The site is viewed as a long to medium term redevelopment project by the Ennis 2040 group which has emphasised the importance of its continuing use as an employment/enterprise park.
“The 2040 group also state that the waterfront portion of the site could deliver a mixed recreational-led scheme with visitor and permanent residential accommodation, water activities as well as a walking/cycling link along the River Fergus to Ennis railway station and the town centre.
“The possibilities are enormous but it is essential that the local community is fully involved in any proposals to repurpose the site,” Ms Carey declared.
She also welcomed a commitment in the Fine Gale manifesto to implement the recommendations of the Shannon Estuary Taskforce, particularly in relation to
renewable energy planning.
“This also backs up Clare County Council’s ambition to progress the implementation of those projects applicable to Clare, along with the Shannon Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) and the West Coast maritime area,” she added.
PHOTO: Leonora Carey with Cllr Paul Murphy at the Roche site in Clarecastle