Related Stories

• County Mayor identifies danger on Mallow/Cork road
  
  
• Movember hair-raising experience planned for Ballynoe
  
  
• Minister Brian Hayes to visit Fermoy to view projects
  
  
• Ramps discussed for Adair NS
  
  
• Doocey welcomes road repairs in Lismore area
  
  
• AROMA awards night recognises good work going on in Mitchelstown
  
  
• Recalling Avondhu headlines from November 1992
  
  
• St Fanahan’s students get into gear for driving experience
  
  
• 2020 conference paints bright future for Ballyhoura region
  
  
• Galbally National School Action Day for Green Schools Programme
  
  
• €5.5M Colaiste an Chraoibhin extension moves to planning
  
  
• Fermoy apprentice takes top award
  
  

Free parking in the car parks in Fermoy is to come to an end at the end of December. Photo: Ellen Lynch

Free parking in the car parks in Fermoy is to come to an end at the end of December. The OPW has been funding the free off-street car parking as a goodwill gesture since the beginning of August.

"We wish to make it clear that no further contributions will be made in relation to this issue," the OPW advised the town clerk in a recent letter. It followed a motion passed at the town council's October meeting requesting the OPW to extend free parking until April next when the flood works are supposed to finish.

In its letter to the town clerk, the OPW said it had considered the request in great detail and come to the decision to fund the cost of car parking until the end of December, covering the busy Christmas period. It was outside their existing agreement, it was pointed out, but they were willing to do so as a once-off measure. It means picking up the tab for an extra €10,000, the estimated loss the town council will incur as a result of making off-street car parking free to the people of the town throughout the months of November and December. It brings the OPW's total contribution to the initiative to €45,000.

The town council has traditionally waived parking charges in the car parks from mid December anyway, resuming charges in early January.

Cllr John Murphy had a motion before the member's monthly meeting last week calling for them to work together in their final months before aboliton to deliver free parking in car parks to benefit the business community in the town. He had the support of councillors Noel Barnes and Noel McCarthy, the latter seconding the motion.

"I'm asking that we try our level best to get this before we're abolished," Cllr Murphy said.

Cllr Tadhg O'Donovan sought that the motion be amended to say they would work together for the duration of the town council, while town clerk Pauline Moriarty said it was a matter for their budget meeting and she suggested it be discussed further there.

Cllr Michael Hanley sounded a note of caution, saying the car parks are being used by people employed in local businesses. He appealed to them to leave the car parks free for shoppers. Cllr Noel McCarthy reminded him though, that people employed in the town are 'the best shoppers'. "They shop and spend their money here. We must appreciate that too."

"Nonetheless they are parked there all day," Mayor Olive Corcoran said.

blog comments powered by Disqus