Casual trading issue in Kenmare up for discussion

THE members of the South and West Kerry Municipal District have unanimously agreed to put out Draft Casual Trading Bye-Laws for public consultation.

The issue came before the municipal district meeting in Killorglin on Friday and the draft bye-laws follow 12 months of reviews on the matter by council management.

They propose to limit trading to 29 bays located around The Park – on Park Lane and East Park Lane – from Monday to Saturday.

These bays would be contained within parking spaces and bays not taken up by traders by 11am would revert to use as parking spaces.

In a document issued at Friday’s meeting, Kerry County Council acknowledged that the existing market rights in Kenmare cover all of Kenmare from Monday to Saturday and are protected under the constitution.

The council says it can‘t extinguish Kenmare’s market rights, but says it may regulate the market under the Casual Trading Act.

Among its proposals is that casual trading licences would only be issued by Kerry County Council and each licence holder would be assigned a specific bay at a cost of €15 per day.

Trading would only be allowed to take place between 9am and 5pm, though the council would have the right to award event licenses for special events where trading could take place outside of those hours. The cost of these licence fees will be decided by the council for each specific event.

Casual traders would also not be allowed to park a vehicle in a trading bay unless it’s being used for trading.

Independent Councillor Dan McCarthy said the proposed bye-laws ‘aren’t perfect but we need to regulate the trading situation because, at present, it’s very dangerous’.

“Not everyone I’ve spoken to is happy with the traffic plan that’d be put in place for the new arrangement; it brings a one-way system to parts of the town that have been two-way,” he said.

“There are other issues too, but as things were, the situation has been a mess. It’s been an accident waiting to happen.

“Anyone who wants to object to these byelaws is fully entitled to do so, but I’d encourage anyone who objects to put forward alternative suggestions,” he added.

If implemented, Kerry County Council will appoint officers to oversee casual trading in Kenmare.

Applications for each licence would have to be made to the council at least 30 days in advance of the day the applicant hopes to start trading.

The draft bye-laws will go on public display from November 24 until January 6. The closing date for submissions is January 20.

Cllr McCarthy told The Kerryman that the Kenmare Chamber of Commerce will meet in the next three weeks to discuss the draft bye-laws.