Dublin: Ireland on Thursday gave the green light for a company owned by US president Donald Trump to build a scaled-down sea wall at its golf course in the west of Ireland that environmental groups say could damage protected wildlife habitats.

The Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg, owned by the Trump Organization, received permission for two sea barriers of 630 metres and 260 metres in length, Clare County said, a year after it rejected plans for a much larger 2.8 km wall.

Residents and environmental groups objected, saying the wall —  designed to protect the golf course from coastal erosion — could alter the coastline at other points and harm wildlife.

“It’s disappointing. We should be altering the golf course not the coastline,” said Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan.
Trump has spent $330 million buying golf courses and land to develop since he began investing in golf in 1997.

The environmental group Save The Waves collected 100,000 signatures opposed to the initial development plan.

Reuters