Kilkenny Councillors Postpone Vote on New Parking By-Laws

Proposed parking by-laws in Kilkenny City faced a significant delay as councillors voted on November 3, 2023, to postpone their adoption. The decision came after a motion introduced by Cllr David FitzGerald of Fine Gael, supported by Cllr Joe Malone from Fianna Fáil, to defer any voting until the December council meeting.

The new regulations were intended to replace the existing Kilkenny Borough Council Parking Control By-Laws 2012 with updated measures known as the Kilkenny City Municipal District Parking Control By-Laws 2025. This revision follows a public consultation process that provided residents with the opportunity to review detailed plans for the proposed changes.

Despite the public input, concerns emerged during the council meeting regarding various aspects of the proposed by-laws. Cllr FitzGerald expressed the need for a dedicated discussion on the matter, citing ongoing issues with traffic management that have left the council “going around in circles” over the past few years. The councillor emphasized the urgency of addressing these concerns to avoid repeating past mistakes.

One of the contentious points in the draft by-laws is the concept of “access only parking.” If adopted, this measure would restrict parking to those possessing resident’s parking permits, carer’s permits, or visitor permits across 15 housing estates in the city. The proposed fees include an annual charge of €20 for the initial permit and €15 for a second permit issued to the same residence, with an additional €20 fee for carer’s and visitor permits.

The draft by-laws also outline designated parking locations with fees of €2 and €5 for daily parking, alongside provisions for short, medium, and long-term stay parking areas. Five public submissions were received by the Kilkenny County Council, highlighting issues such as parked caravans obstructing residential areas and requests to remove time limits on disabled parking bays.

Cllr FitzGerald pointed out that the concerns raised by fellow councillors have been persistent over the past five years, indicating a lack of resolution. He stated, “Many of the issues raised by councillors have been coming up consistently in meetings for five years or more and there are no answers.” He urged his colleagues to take the time necessary to engage in a thorough discussion regarding the proposed by-laws.

The former mayor recalled the previous year’s introduction of new parking regulations that were later reversed, underscoring the importance of careful consideration in decision-making. Cllr FitzGerald noted, “It’s not that long ago before the last local elections that we were all told we had to get on with passing a whole set of parking by-laws, but within a short period of time, we had to re-address the issue because clearly some of the decisions we made weren’t thought through as they could have been.”

Cllr Andrew McGuinness from Fianna Fáil also voiced his frustration regarding the absence of sunflower bays on High Street, an issue raised by Cllr Maria Dollard years ago. “It was a big deal for us as local representatives when we were navigating our way through a controversial issue,” he remarked, questioning the delay in their implementation.

In response to these concerns, Stan Cullen, the Senior Roads Engineer with Kilkenny County Council, explained that sunflower bays are considered more suitable for quieter areas and may not be appropriate for High Street due to potential misuse.

The Kilkenny County Council’s executive team defended the necessity of the amended parking controls, stating that they aim to ensure effective management of the city’s limited parking resources. This includes deterring illegal parking to maintain traffic flow and addressing areas with high demand for parking spaces. Cullen highlighted that the proposed measures would also promote alternative transportation methods and facilitate residents’ access to their homes.

As the council prepares to revisit the proposed by-laws in December, responses to the public submissions will be issued, ensuring that community concerns continue to be addressed in the ongoing discussion.