Council looks to attract tourists by the coachload

ENNIS Town Council is engaging with local tourism operators and the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland (CTTC) to identify the need for coach-parking facilities in the town.
Eamon O’Dea, town engineer confirmed talks are ongoing between the local authority and the operators to determine whether additional facilities are needed in Ennis.
This comes after concerns that Ennis is losing out to other tourist towns when it comes to attracting visitors. At a recent meeting of the council, Councillor Johnny Flynn called for the urgent provision of a number of coach drop-off points in the town. He also urged that coach parking be provided at the Temple Gate car park, that facilities be provided for coach drivers to maintain the coaches, rest facilities for drivers and that the local authority work with other groups in a bid to increase coach based tourism.
According to Councillor Flynn, “This is such a great town, the town centre was voted in the top 60 in the world as part of an American study. There are 120 buses a day passing through the town and every one of those could have around 50 people on board, these people could be spending their money here.”
Responding to Councillor Flynn’s notice of motion, Mr O’Dea outlined that there is a specific bus stop at Friar’s Walk and coaches can and do use loading bays to drop off and collect tourists such as at the Ennis Friary. He added that coaches are dropping off tourists at the bus parking bays to the rear of the museum and the coaches are using the frontage of the Temple Gate Hotel to drop off and collect tourists.
“Ennis has two bus parking locations at Friar’s Walk car park to the rear of the museum and three bus-parking locations at Glór. There was eight bus-parking locations in the Friar’s Walk car park adjacent to the Dunnes Stores multi-storey car park and they were converted into long-stay car parking due to issues with caravans parking on the area. The council intend to provide an additional bus-parking location to the rear of the museum in the Friar’s Walk car park,” he added.
According to Mr O’Dea, bus drivers clean buses at the end of each day and they generally have the required equipment with them on the buses. There is a reciprocal arrangement between coach companies in the provision of facilities if required.
“The council will and are engaging with local tourism operators and the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland (CTTC) to see what coach-parking facilities are required before further expenditure is incurred by the council. This is necessary to determine whether additional set-down or parking locations, or both, are required. Overnight bus parking is generally provided in the car parks of the hotels where the coach tourists are staying,” he said.
Mayor of Ennis Michael Guilfoyle emphasised the need for the local authority to work with the operators saying, “we can provide all the facilities we want but we need to work with them”.
Councillor Frankie Neylon commented that in Galway, there are signs indicating tours to the Cliffs of Moher and “it’s not the same in Ennis. Ennis should be
marketed to make sure we get a slice of the cake,” he added.