The above image is Google’s Gemini Artificial Intelligence response to the following question

The response is interesting on a number of fronts : funding (upfront and recurring costs) and maintenance (inspecting, repairing, safety standards, cleanliness and upkeep)

As there has been no public consultation on this development with the local community, the community does not know who will foot the bill for this development and the ongoing costs?

Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd is an evolution from the original Clonmany Festival Committee. The ethos being, that all funds generated from the Clonmany Festival, belong to and are to be used to benefit the local community. The lack of public consultation, the proposed development and its impact on the community flies in the face of these principled ethe.

If Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd are covering all costs or providing substantial funding towards this project, are they letting Donegal County Council off the hook with regard to building, funding and maintaining a kids play park?

If Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd are covering all costs or providing substantial funding towards this project, is this a form of double taxation on the local taxpayers? This is based on the assumption that Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd funds and assets belong to the local community and that the local taxpayers tax should fund these facilities.

The above image is Google’s Gemini Artificial Intelligence response to the following question

Again, we learn that the local authorities are responsible for the building, funding and maintaining of facilities. The previous questions asked also apply : Are Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd letting Donegal County Council off the hook and are local taxpayers subject to double taxation.

Why are Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd using the local community's funds generated with the help of local volunteers and the goodwill of the village residents ( 8-day festival) to provide potentially unwanted and much needed facilities that Donegal County Council should be providing? These potentially unwanted and needed facilities should go to a public consultation. Does the local community want public toilets and the associated potential Anti-Social Behaviour? Public toilets currently exist across the road in the Market House. Does the local community want the kids play park located in a more visible location to better ensure the health & safety of kids?

Management Plan

The lack of a management plan is concerning. The management, upkeep and running costs (including Public Indemnity Insurance) are in the remit of Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd who are proposing this development. Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd main income is undoubtably from the local community festival, the Clonmany Festival.

The long-term funding of these proposed facilities is called in to question as the long-term sustainability and viability of the festival is now called into question.

The sustainability and viability of the festival is now called into question both due to flooding concerns, the lack of consultation and thus imposing of this development on the local community/residents in tandem with a host of issues/concerns regarding the 8-day Clonmany Festival. Residents’ concerns regarding the festival, include Overcrowding, multiple Anti-Social Behaviour issues, Noise Pollution(day & night), Drugs, Destruction and Attempted Invasion of Property, etc.

As the long-term sustainability and viability of festival is now called into question, what safeguards are given into the funding and management of these proposed facilities?

Will the local authority provide assurances that they will take over the funding and management of the facilities, if required?

No conditions have been imposed for the long-term upkeep of the site by Donegal County Council Planning Department. Donegal County Council Planning Department have failed to adequately protect the public by exposing them to potential environmental and social hazards without corrective controls in place.

It appears Donegal County Council Planning Department did not fully investigate the wider impact this permission would have on the Management and Operation of the Facilities fully, when carrying out its assessment.

These issues raised have not been addressed by the Donegal County Council Planning Department with the exception of the opening hours of the Play Park which would contravene the opening time precedence raised in the planning objection by John Bradley.

Ref. No. 24/ 60275-Chief Executive’s Order No. 2024PH2061

It is clear that the Management and Operation of these Facilities need to be fully addressed and documented.

Is it not in the remit of the Local Authorities to provide these types of facilities throughout the country?

How many other communities are burdened with the funding, management and operation of these type of facilities countrywide?

The funds generated by the Clonmany Festival through its volunteers and goodwill of the village residents belong to the Local Community. With regard to funding, why have the community not been consulted regarding the upfront costs of this proposed development and the recurring costs associated with the management, upkeep and running costs (including Public Indemnity Insurance)?

Have the management, upkeep and running of the facilities been costed? What are the development costs to the community? What are the recurring costs to the community? Would this money not be better spent elsewhere and lobby the Donegal County Council to provide, manage and fund these types of facilities?

If the management and upkeep of the facilities are put out to tender, what safeguards will be put in place to make sure that the tendering process is transparent and that the Local Community is getting value for money on a recurring basis?

Are Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd doing the job of the Donegal County Council in regard to this development?