Clare council not planning to 'wield the option' of compulsory purchase of land for Cliffs of Moher walk

The report said the Cliffs of Moher coastal walk is privately owned by 36 individual landowners and that 'it can be concluded that the roles and responsibilities in relation to the [coastal walk] are unclear at best and have led to confusion'

The latest report recommended that the council take over management and development of the Cliffs of Moher coastal walk, which was forced to close last August after a Sport Ireland audit identified safety risks for walkers and advised the entire trail be closed to facilitate upgrade works. File photo: Press 22

Clare County Council has said it doesn’t intend to “wield the option” of compulsory purchase of land for a Cliffs of Moher coastal walk, as it published its final report on the future of the popular tourist trail.

The local authority has admitted that an earlier draft of the report, which had been leaked, caused “tension” but said this final version offered a sustainable path to develop the tourist route.