New ballroom approved for Donald Trump's Doonbeg golf course

Clare County Council has given the green light for a new ballroom at the US President Donald Trump-owned Trump Doonbeg golf resort in west Clare.

However, before work can commence on the permanent ballroom structure that will have capacity for 320 persons, the Council requires Trump Doonbeg firm, TIGL Ireland Enterprises LTd to draw up a Management Plan for the protected snail, the 2mm Vertigo Angustior.

In one of the 14 conditions attached to the permission, the Council has requested Trump Doonbeg to submit the Vertigo Angustior Management Plan to the Council for approval and the plan is to include conservation management actions to restore the favourable status of the Vertigo Angustior on the Trump Doonbeg lands.

The rare snail is protected under the EU Habitats Directive, and along with the Management Plan, Trump Doonbeg is to also draw up a programme of monitoring of the Vertigo Angustior to be agreed with the State agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), for the maintenance of favourable conservation status.

The Council states that the reason for inserting the condition concerning the Vertigo Angustior is to provide for adequate protection measures for areas of conservation importance and to ensure compliance with the EU Habitats Directive.

As part of a raft of reports lodged with the planning application by the applicant firm, a report concluded that the proposed works “will have no impact on Vertigo Angustior, and no mitigation or further action is required”.

The council granted planning permission for the proposal after concluding that the ballroom proposal would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity.

Resort General Manager at Trump Doonbeg, Joe Russell,