Parking concerns for Gorey continues to be an issue for councillors

DURING a discussion on the demolition of the old St Joseph’s site, councillors began a discussion on parking needs in the down after Cllr Anthony Donohoe said an ‘open and frank discussion about where all the councillors stand’ was needed on the future of the site.

It was agreed last year that the St Joseph’s site be used for housing, with a €4.8 million budgeted scheme agreed, but Cllr Donohoe said it was ‘healthy’ to second guess decisions made in the past.

Chairperson Cllr Joe Sullivan disagreed with this.

‘The Council made the decision, something I do believe you were part to yourself. I don’t believe we should be second guessing every decision we are making here as a council’.

For the purpose of clarity, Director of Services Eddie Taaffe said that the decision on this was made.

‘We have spent money demolishing the site and we are in phase one in the terms of our programme. There are a large number of people who have been waiting a long time who are on the housing list.

‘Money is being spent as we speak on that site from the department of housing, planning and local government, it’s part of plan for housing’.

Eddie told Anthony that if councillors reject the next phase, they have to go back to the drawing board.

‘As far as we are concerned, we are procuring architects at the moment, with a view to starting construction on that site later this year. Part of it will have to come back to the members for approval for the next phase, but we are already developing the site for housing as per the agreement’.

Cllr Fionntan Ó Súilleabháin pointed out that there will be an increase of parking spaces as part of the housing plan.

He also highlighted that there are people involved in dangerous parking along a slip road at the Clogh roundabout.

‘There are commuters in danger there, crossing the road to get the bus and engaging in car-pooling,’ he said.

Joe Sullivan said that this is something the Council should be pursue as it is dangerous, and it taking place in other unofficial car parks in the north of the county.

Anthony Donohoe suggested writing to car park supplier around setting up an official car park at these collection areas.

Cllr Sullivan and Cllr Ó Súilleabháin agreed that it was worth a discussion.

Cllr Diarmuid Devereux said that everyone had opinions on parking.

‘We have discussed doing a detailed survey of parking, but we did a parking count on black Friday weekend, three busy days coming to Christmas. On each occasion, we estimated over 250 unused car parking spaces within an eight or ten minute walk from Tesco car park and the railway station.

‘It’s more of an ease of access issue, people want to park on the street and do their business. Up at the garda station, we guessed that people were on a one or two week holiday and left their car there as the windows were all fogged up. There are pockets of land around that might be worth looking at,’ he said.