'It should be in all the towns' - Cork town councillors debate pay parking 'anomalies'

Some municipal district councils in Cork have refused to re-introduce parking charges, which were suspended during Covid-19 restrictions to aid businesses. Picture: Denis Minihane

A major debate on whether all towns in Co. Cork should have pay parking or not is due in the coming months, amid claims the current system is both disjointed and discriminatory.

In addition, some municipal district councils have refused to re-introduce parking charges, which were suspended during Covid-19 restrictions to aid businesses.

The axing of charges has been costly for the council, which has lost an estimated €800,000 in revenue due to their suspension for a prolonged period. This shortfall will potentially lead to the curtailment of other services if it is not addressed at the local authority’s annual budget meeting later this year.

Some councillors have hit out at the way their municipal district officials have treated the re-introduction of parking charges.

Fine Gael councillor John O’Sullivan, who is chairman of the Bandon/Kinsale Municipal District Council, told a meeting of the full council in County Hall that his local officials held an “in camera” (without press) meeting with councillors to address their re-introduction in both towns and hinted that it was up to officials rather than elected representatives to ensure this happens.

However, Mr O’Sullivan added that in the case of the East Cork Municipal District Council, its officials informed councillors they had the final say. This was corroborated by his colleagues there, most notably independent councillor Mary Linehan-Foley who stated that part of the meeting was open to the media.

She added it is unfair that Youghal has pay parking, which remains suspended until after the summer, while Midleton doesn’t have it.

“It should either be the same for all or not for all. It’s not equal. Every town has to be treated the same. It should be in all the towns,” Ms Linehan-Foley said.

“Having it in some places and not in others is discriminatory. Businesses could be heading into a recession, and I appeal for its re-introduction to be deferred rather than imposing pay parking on specific towns which previously had it and not in other towns which didn’t. It’s fair on the ratepayers and the public,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Gearoid Murphy, chair of the Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District Council, pointed out that council officials in his area wanted another ‘in camera’ meeting with councillors to reintroduce it in his area.

Mr Murphy, who is a barrister, said in his opinion any decision on pay parking is down to councillors and not their officials.

Independent councillor Alan Coleman, pointed out there are anomalies all over the place with different towns with pay parking having different rules. He said it is understood only towns with pay parking were entitled to have traffic wardens, but this isn’t the case.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

He added that revenue from parking should be kept for all municipal councils, instead of them getting a percentage of it with the rest going back into the coffers of County Hall.

Mr Coleman said some towns “historically” introduced pay parking to offset increasing rates for local businesses, but as rates had been equalised all over the county, this now put them at a disadvantage. Municipal district councils traditionally abandoned parking charges in the run-up to Christmas.

Council chief executive, Tim Lucey, said he would be “more than happy” to abandon this because it would provide the local authority with more revenue, as at peak time for shoppers.

He later confirmed to the Irish Examiner that council officials have the power to overrule any decisions councillors make on the re-introduction of pay parking charges in municipal districts which have it.