Dispute threatens grant for farmers’ market

A WEST Cork town will miss out on increased Government grant aid for farmers’ markets if a dispute between a local authority and food producers is not resolved.

The warning about the Clonakilty impasse came from the chief executive of West Cork Leader.

Ian Dempsey said increased grant aid for developing farmers’ markets has been included in the Government’s new programme for rural development.

But if Clonakilty does not avail of it, he said, the money will go to some other West Cork town instead.

He was speaking at a public meeting, organised by Clonakilty Market and attended by upwards of 70 people, on Tuesday evening.

A group of market traders, led by Clonakilty Market’s main proposer Gerald Kelleher, are trying to set up a farmers’ market in the town centre but they have been opposed by Clonakilty Town Council, which has designated a small area in the local community college car park for casual trading.

Mr Dempsey said grant aid of up to €150,000 would be available in the new programme for rural development, which runs until 2013.

He said: “Leader is looking to actively support farmers’ markets in West Cork, and I would hate to see an opportunity missed for west Cork in general and Clonakilty in particular.”

Traders set up stalls without a casual trading licence at the Kent Street car park in the centre of the West Cork town on August 8, despite being warned that they could face prosecution and possible arrest.

A proposal to allow the market to be held in the Kent Street car park was voted on at a meeting of Clonakilty Town Council in March — the vote was split, with Town Mayor Seamus O’Brien using his casting vote against the proposal.

Everybody who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting was in favour of a farmers’ market in Clonakilty and they urged both sides to resolve the dispute over its location.

Chris O’Sullivan, who runs a retail business close to Kent Street car park, said the traders were not a threat to his operation and his business increased by 60% when the market came to town on August 8.

It was agreed that a three-member deputation from Clonakilty Market would attend September’s meeting of Clonakilty Town Council to persuade councillors to re-designate the Kent Street car park for casual trading.