Irish council approves ballroom for Trump's seaside golf course
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A general view of Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, in Doonbeg, Ireland on May 3, 2023.
PHOTO: REUTERS
DUBLIN - An Irish council on Feb 24 approved a plan by the family of US President Donald Trump to build a ballroom on their west of Ireland golf course, subject to conditions that local media said included helping to protect a tiny species of snails.
Trump International Golf Club in Doonbeg on the west coast in December applied to build the ballroom for 320 guests, with Mr Trump's son Eric telling the Sunday Independent it would be "the nicest ballroom in the country".
However environmentalists objected to the proposal, saying more needed to be done to improve the status of a rare snail present at the site.
Clare County Council planners in a decision published on its website said it granted planning permission for the ballroom subject to 14 conditions. A spokesperson said the conditions would be published later on Feb 24.
The Clare Echo newspaper reported that one of the conditions requested that the golf club submit a management plan for the protected snail, including conservation management actions to restore its favourable status on the lands.
According to the plans, the new ballroom will be 1,240 sq m, a small fraction of the 8,360 sq m of the ballroom planned for the White House. REUTERS
