New proposal may help parking

Proposals to enhance Wexford County Council’s rejuvenation plans for Enniscorthy were unveiled at a standing room only meeting in the Chamber of Commerce Office on Thursday night last. The ambitious and thought provoking proposals were presented by local architect, Niall Byrne, and were put forward with the aim of enhancing, rather than opposing, the County Council’s plans for the centre of the town.

Mr. Byrne, a member of the ‘Re-Imagining Enniscorthy Committee’, a sub-committee of the Chamber, had been asked to address the concerns of the business community over certain aspects of the County Council’s proposals, particularly as they related to parking, and at Thursday night’s meeting, Mr. Byrne was at pains to emphasise his plan is designed to enhance what is already on paper and contained in the County Council’s blueprint for the future of Enniscorthy town centre.

He was very much of the opinion the County Council’s proposals would change the face of Enniscorthy in a very positive way but acknowledged certain aspects of the plan were proving difficult for the local business community to accept.

His proposals were aimed at allaying the concerns of the commercial sector, he said, and to address opposition to what is presently proposed.

Among the large attendance at the meeting were Minister of State James Browne T.D., Paul Kehoe T.D. Johnny Mythen T.D. and five of the six members of Enniscorthy Municipal Authority, Councillors Barbara Ann Murphy, Kathleen Codd Nolan, Cathal Byrne, Aidan Browne and Jackser Owens. An apology for inability to attend was received from the Chairman, Councillor John O’Rourke. A large and representative attendance from the business community was also present as were representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and other influential town bodies.

Chamber President Michael Dempsey presided and chaired the question and answer session which followed Mr. Byrne’s detailed presentation. The consensus of opinion afterwards among the attendance was that Mr. Byrne’s proposals addressed a lot of the original concerns relating to parking and that they should be the subject of further discussions between Municipal Authority members and Wexford County Council officials.

This was agreed and the Chamber of Commerce will now lobby for Mr. Byrne to be invited to the February meeting of the Municipal Authority where he will formally present his proposals to the elected members. If accepted – and the likelihood is they will be – then the County Council will be asked to incorporate them into their plan for the regeneration of Enniscorthy town centre.

No formal talks have yet taken place in respect of the proposed amalgamation of Enniscorthy Chamber of Commerce and the County Wexford Chamber. A decision on the opening of talks was taken at last week’s annual meeting but as two of the proposed negotiating team are presently on holidays, the talks have been postponed until their return. A deadline of February 29 has been set for the completion of the talks so there is no immediate urgency of discussions getting under way.

The recent passing of Enniscorthy businessman John Murphy, of Hillview Court, Oulart, brought a great sense of sadness to all Chamber members. John, along with business partner, John Leacy, co-founded L&M Motors, Island Road, Enniscorthy, some 38 years ago and in the intervening years built it into the leading motor engineering concern in the district.

Apart from his loving family, wife, Catherine, sons, Gary and Shaun, daughters Emma and Katie, and extended family, John will be sadly missed by his many friends and acquaintances in the business world and here in the Chamber of Commerce where his presence and support for all Chamber functions was greatly appreciated and recognised.

May the soil of his beloved Oulart rest gently upon him.