PLANS BY ONE of the best known tourist attractions in the west of Ireland – the Aillwee Burren Experience in north Clare – to construct “much needed” staff accommodation have become ensnared in a land row.

The Burren tourist attraction is jointly owned by members of the Johnson and Mulqueeney families and former shareholder and employee in the business Ben Johnson has lodged an objection with Clare County Council against the planned staff accommodation at Aillwee Caves.

Johnson is claiming that the building that Aillwee Cave Co Ltd is planning to convert into staff accommodation is his, but MD of the Aillwee Burren Experience Nuala Mulqueeney disputed this today, stating that Johnson’s claim “is incorrect”.

Mulqueeney said today: “Where we are applying for planning permission is an asset belonging to the cave.”

Mulqueeney stated that the planning application is required as the Aillwee Burren Experience needs affordable, sustainable, year round accommodation for its staff.

The Aillwee Cave is the centrepiece of the attraction and Mulqueeney said that the Aillwee Burren Experience “is a considerable employer” in the area employing up to 50 during peak season.

However, in an objection lodged with the Council on Ben Johnson’s behalf by Galway legal firm, Benen Fahy Associates, it states that “the lands in question belong to our client even though he is not the registered owner”.

In an accompanying letter by Johnson, he tells the Council that two Johnsons who are directors of the business “will testify that the lands and buildings belong to me”.

Ben Johnson sold his shareholding in the business in 2014 but was instrumental in setting up the cheese brand associated with Aillwee Caves and the Bird of Prey centre at the visitor attraction.

Johnson told the Council that Aillwee Caves “has adequate green fields in which to construct a purpose built staff accommodation”.

Ben Johnson worked at Aillwee Caves from 1985 to 2014 and on his claim that the building is his, Johnson said in an interview that Aillwee Cave purchased the shed from him in 2006/07 but in 2009 after he highlighted “a huge wage discrepancy between myself and my brothers resulting in a big family row I said to my father ‘I want my shed back’ and he said ‘of course, you can have it back’.”

However, his father Roger died in 2011 and the shed was never transferred back to him.

He said: “I sold my shareholding in 2014 and left the cave completely. It wasn’t working for me, there was too much pressure and I had to leave.”

Ben Johnson said that the building “morally is mine”. He said: “Because of the stamp I left on Aillwee Cave I am justified in claiming the shed back at the very least.”

Johnson said that he didn’t have to think twice about lodging the submission against the development with Clare Co Council.

Johnson said that he hopes the Council will refuse planning permission.

He said: “I hope they see reason and that it is not suitable for development on agricultural lands.”

Mulqueeney said that she had no issue with Johnson lodging the submission. She said: “Anyone is entitled to make a submission.”

The Council is due to make a decision on the application next week.