Permit centralisation criticised

WORKERS in Lahinch could face additional parking charges if plans by Clare County Council to centralise the parking permit system go ahead.

 

Up until now, businesses in the seaside resort have been given up to “five, six, seven parking permits each” per year for staff. However, now the council is proposing to bring the Lahinch system into line with existing practice in Ennis and Kilrush, where just two permits are allocated per business, per year.

At a meeting on Monday, the senior staff officer in the council’s Ennistymon Area Office, James Barry said he had been approached by a senior official in Clare County Council with a view to merging traffic software contracts for Ennis, Kilrush and Lahinch in the future in an effort to lower costs for the council. He said he was asked by Anne Haugh, director of services, Transportation, Water Services and Environment, to write to businesses in Lahinch and tell them they would only receive two permits annually in the future.

If the systems are merged, the same permit system would have to apply in each of the areas to give the council a stronger legal standing if parking violation prosecutions are pursued, according to Mr Barry. This has not been an issue to date, he said, because Kilrush, Ennis and Lahinch are all dealt with separately.

One local councillor was incensed by the proposal. Councillor Richard Nagle described the move as “high handed”, given that this is the first time councillors have heard anything about the proposal.

However, Niall Barrett, the council’s head of finance, denied this, saying no decision has been made on the matter and the purpose of it being on the agenda for Monday’s meeting was so councillors could discuss it.

“Let Ennis and Kilrush adopt the same system as we have here in North Clare,” Councillor Nagle stated. “If it isn’t broken, there is no point in doing anything to it.”

The Ennistymon councillor noted there is no problem with legally implementing different bylaws in the county’s various towns and questioned why the parking permit system should be any different?

“There is one set of parking bylaws for Ennistymon and there is one set for Lahinch. That has worked well in the past and has reflected the economic reality of these towns and villages.”
Councillor Joe Arkins agreed that the situation in Lahinch should remain as is.

“We are being asked to change the practice in Lahinch to centralise matters. Surely you could have different rates and conditions and still go to court and be successful,” he stated.

Councillor Arkins said he believes the number of employees should be taken into account when deciding on the number of permits distributed and also suggested that the cost of a parking permit should “reflect the seasonal nature of the business”.

Councillor Nagle said the status quo should remain for the good of business people and employees in the town.

“If this worked well to date, why now should we change it to facilitate a centralised system that would inevitably lead to more costs for business people,” he asked.

Business in Lahinch, according to Councillor Nagle, will face “property tax and are already paying water rates. I wouldn’t see businesses being in a position to absorb that cost.”

Councillor Arkins called for a specific proposal about Lahinch to be brought to the next area meeting for discussion.