Parking still a pinch point as Flynn clashes with Council officials

ENNIS councillors and senior officials in the local authority continue to crash into each other on the issue of car parking in the county town, writes Páraic McMahon

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, the minutes for the April meeting were adopted a month on from the May sitting. Their adoption in May was delayed for being “factually and chronologically incorrect,” Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) stated.

During a discussion on plans for a multi-use development on Abbey Street at the April meeting, Director of Services, Carmel Kirby distributed a document which claimed that Ennis had a total of 2,923 car parking spaces.

Speaking on Tuesday, Cllr Flynn said the minutes did not reflect “what the reality is on the ground with car parking”. He accused staff within the Council of giving out “incorrect information”.

Director Kirby defended the stance taken. “At the time of the April meeting it was true to say that planning was granted for Boys National Car parking and GAA site in Cusack Park, the figures show the available car parking in Ennis whether they are private or public, at the time of the April meeting the information I gave out was correct. It has been decided not to proceed with private car parking at Francis Street,” she said.

An addition of 149 spaces will come on stream to the county town between planning granted last year and planning currently sought, Kirby added.

Minutes cannot be edited as the comments came in “the actual response to the notice of motion,” senior executive officer, Leonore O’Neill stated. “We would be able to add in this conversation as part of matters arising,” she added.

“I am very grateful that the minutes have been amended, it is important to put on record that I’m fully supportive of Ennis 2040 but I’m against any building on a car park,” Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) commented.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cllr Flynn pointed out that his corrections on parking figures were not disputed by senior officials. “The Council deny there is any historical deficit and claimed that 499 spaces would be delivered in short term,” he said while referring to the Cloister site owned by Clare GAA, the Ennis Old Boys National School site, the Waterpark Campus at Drumbiggle Rd and the Francis Street site.

As first reported by The Clare Echo, plans for a proposed 107 space temporary car park in Francis Street have been dropped.

Cllr Flynn is not confident the Boys National School car park will proceed. “In my view the referred to privately owned Boys National 5 year planning permission for 157 spaces is two years old and with only three years left and economically it is most unlikely to be built. Therefore the additional new spaces is not 499 but only the proposed 85 additional spaces at Waterpark and possibly 129 at GAA if they are built, a total of 214 spaces”.

He continued, “The Council have accepted in various meetings that at least 200 public spaces have been lost over last decade due to new roads , footpaths and public realm improvement works”. 126 spaces in Abbey Street and 61 in Parnell Street will be lost as part of projects associated with the Ennis 2040 Strategy, he claimed.