A planning application for a £40 million digital park for Ennis, Co Clare, is to be lodged before the end of the year. This follows the resolution yesterday of a long-running dispute between the Mid-Western Health Board and an Ennis junior soccer club which held up the plan for two years.
The health board and Lifford Football Club were listed to appear at Ennis Circuit Court next Thursday following eviction proceedings instituted by the health board against the club, which has refused to vacate lands at Our Lady's Hospital in Ennis.
The club's refusal to move has prevented contracts being signed in a £2.4 million deal agreed in September 1998 between the health board and Shannon Development for the hospital and 65 acres.
It has also put on hold a subsequent agreement between Shannon Development and Clare County Council over the sale of the hospital where the council intends to relocate its central buildings.
Lifford, which has played its matches at the grounds for 32 years and recently invested £8,000 in upgrading the pitch, has refused to move until alternative accommodation is provided.
Last May alternative accommodation was found by Ennis UDC for the club. However, the dispute continued with the health board over the issue of compensation to allow Lifford finance the purchase of the council land. After protracted negotiations between legal representatives for both sides, it is believed that a settlement has been finally reached.
The compensation figure for Lifford for the four-acre site is understood to be between £40,000 and £50,000, though this is expected to leave a shortfall in the figure sought for the club's alternative accommodation.
Declining to confirm any figure, Mr John O'Neill, secretary of Lifford, said: "It appears a settlement has been reached and we are happy with the proposed terms. Our only motivation in the dispute was to ensure that there was a home for the 300 or so playing members of Lifford."
He paid tribute to the Clare Fianna Fail TD, Mr Brendan Daly, who was involved in getting both parties to reach a resolution.
Mr Daly said: "It is a good deal for everyone, allowing the start-up of the digital park and Lifford to develop as a club."
Welcoming the end of the dispute, a spokesman for Shannon Development confirmed that the company now expected to lodge a planning application for the park before the end of year. He said infrastructure and services would be put in place next year, with buildings to be completed in 2002.
A health board spokesman declined to comment on any aspect of the deal, only confirming that a resolution of the differences had been reached.
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