Around 400 submissions on Clonmacnois World Heritage bid made

Around 400 submissions relating to the draft Clonmacnois Candidate World Heritage Site Management Plan have been sent to the consultants involved in the bid with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The deadline for submissions was Friday, August 21. A a breakdown of their content was taking place this week by the consultants ERA Maptec Ltd. Among the concerns expressed in the submissions are the size of the buffer zone, possible effects on farming practices, the extension to the current burial ground, and the Christian character of Clonmacnoise. However, a number are also supportive of the bid, said a Department spokesman. "It is estimated that coming up to 400 submissions have been received to date. A number of these are supportive of the proposed nomination. A considerable number of the submissions received are petition style letters. These contain eight or 12 items that the correspondents have requested have to be addressed in their entirety or they could not support the bid," said John Whelan, from the Department's Press Office. Now that the closing date for submissions has passed, it is envisaged that a report will be compiled setting out a summary of the submissions received and highlighting the positives and negatives of the management plan as indicated through the submissions. It is also envisaged that a copy of the report will be provided to all those who have submitted comments on the management plan. Mr Whelan also reinforced the point that the bid will not be made unless there is full support from the local community. "The Department would like to emphasise that securing World Heritage designation for Clonmacnoise can only be achieved with local buy-in. It has listened to the various concerns that have been expressed and feels that there are a number of options that are worth exploring with the local community. The Department has no wish to move forward with the proposed nomination of Clonmacnoise without the support of that community," added Mr Whelan. A petition was passed around at the public consultation meeting held in Athlone on July 29 for people to sign and send to ERA Maptec as their own submission. It stated that unless 12 points regarding the bid were addressed in the draft plan, the signatory would support the bid. It said it was not satisfied with the scope of the buffer zone, the draft management plan was not written in an "acceptable format" because its an "open document subject to change". Concerns regarding farming practices, planning restrictions, burials, St Ciarán's school, turf-cutting and visitor facilities were addressed in the submission.