Coach companies critical of the new charges at the Cliffs of Moher "visitor experience" handed a letter of protest to the Taoiseach on his arrival yesterday.
Martin Lally of Lally Tours in Galway, a spokesman for the coach drivers, said the increases in the parking charges were "simply unsustainable".
Instead of the previous parking charge of €5 for all coaches, new rates of between €25 and €60 are to be applied depending on the size of the vehicle. This would result in an average annual cost of €21,600 per coach using the centre, Mr Lally claimed.
"During the peak season, each day a tour operator could have as many as three coaches per day to the Cliffs of Moher," he said.
He said the Coach Tourism Council of Ireland and Railtours Ireland had given the protesting operators their full support.
Ger Dollard, Clare County Council's project leader for the new visitor centre, said that the local authority had engaged in "extensive discussions with coach operators" and through the Irish Tourism Operators' Association.
"The final charging structure set out by Clare County Council represents a significant shift in our initial proposed pricing policy and is, in our view, an exceptionally positive response to the issues being raised by operators," Mr Dollard said.
Charges for the car park are:€8 for cars and camper vans; €25 for minibuses; €50 for buses with 16 to 39 people on board; and €60 for coaches with more than 40 people on board.
Charges for the Atlantic Edge interpretative centre are €4 per adult;€3.50 for students and senior citizens; €2.50 for children over four years; €11.95 for a family ticket; €3.50 per head for groups of more than 10.