Anger over Kilkee parking tickets

A KILKEE resident has written to Clare County Council regarding what he describes as “the recent enforcement of one-hour parking restrictions in O’Curry Street, Kilkee”.
In his letter, Brian Lillis, who lives in O’Curry Street, said the owners/occupiers in the street are now being issued with parking tickets, which wasn’t the case in previous years.
“This is to bring to your attention the following difficulties with the issuance of parking tickets to owner/occupiers on O’Curry Street, beginning on July 1. I believe that the council is acting in an unreasonable and arbitrary manner in starting to issue tickets to local owners,” he said.
“In the years 2005-2010, the wardens informed local owner occupiers that they would not receive parking tickets for parking outside their houses. The wardens asked that owner/occupiers attach a note to the windscreen of their cars to indicate ownership. This has created a precedent, which should not be reversed without reasonable written notice to each owner. I believe that a notice period of at least 30 days should apply,” Mr Lillis suggested in his letter.
“Also, it would be unreasonable to reverse a previous precedent without allowing time for owner/occupier consultation with local council representatives and to have the matter placed on the agenda at a council meeting. The failure of the council to make an owner/occupier parking permit available for O’Curry Street, is unfair and unreasonable. Such arrangements have already been put in place by the council for other Clare towns, such as Ennistymon, Lahinch and Miltown Malbay. I ask that, if the council ultimately decides to continue issuing parking tickets on O’Curry Street, it makes an owner/occupier permit scheme available in advance,” he said.
Mr Lillis also suggested that no parking tickets be issued to owner/occupiers until the issue is resolved.
“I ask that the council please instruct the warden to desist from issuing parking tickets to owner/occupiers on O’Curry Street, pending the resolution of the difficulties. Also, please ensure that all such tickets already issued are cancelled,” he added. The letter was sent to Clare County Council on Monday.
At the time of going to press, The Clare Champion had not received a response from Clare County Council.