Parking charges proposal passes at County Waterford district budget meeting
The issue of the first 30 minutes free parking for app users was also raised by councillors at the meeting in Dungarvan. Stock Image.
West Waterford councillors have passed a proposal not to increase parking charges in the Dungarvan-Lismore district in 2027.
The proposal was put forward by Cllr Damien Geoghegan and seconded by Cllr Tom Cronin at the annual district budget meeting held on Monday, November 9.
Cllr Geoghegan also raised the issue of people using the parking app being unable to avail themselves of the free 30 minutes of parking in Dungarvan.
“It is one of the very few decisions we get to make at district level.
“People in Dungarvan are not getting what we have decided to give them, which is that 30 minutes free parking, and that’s unacceptable. Everyone should be able to avail of what we decide to give them.
That free 30 minutes has been available for people in Dungarvan since the mid-1980s,” said Cllr Geoghegan.
Cllr Cronin said he agrees with everything Cllr Geoghegan said and that the free 30 minutes was a great incentive for people to shop in town.
“I don’t like the idea of sitting down to a workshop on parking in February or March because I’m getting a little hint there,” said Cllr Cronin.
Cllr Thomas Phelan said he agreed with the others and that the failure to provide the free 30 minutes to app users “wasn’t good enough and needs to be looked at”.
“What we pass here on behalf of people should actually be what they experience,” said Cllr Phelan.
Cllr Kate O’Mahoney said an increase in parking charges would “hit families and workers hard”.
She described the app as “not fit for purpose” or the service the council are paying for.
“Motorists shouldn’t be waiting for the contracts of the developer of the app and the parking machines to expire. Motorists deserve a service that is fit for purpose,” said Cllr O’Mahoney.
Cllr Niamh O’Donovan said they were “all singing off the same hymn sheet” about parking charges.
She said it is very hard to get parking in Dungarvan, so motorists shouldn’t have to pay more.
“It's very unfair for us to say as a council, you know what, we are actually going to increase the cost of getting a space. So, you are going to spend an hour looking for a parking space and then when you do get one, we will overcharge you,” said Cllr O’Donovan.
The Modeligo councillor said the answer to bringing in more money from parking charges is to make more spaces.
The council’s Head of Finance Bernard Pollard said that in not keeping charges in line with inflation over the past five years, parking is costing the council money.
He said the council takes in around €275,000 in parking charges in the Dungarvan-Lismore district, but that doesn’t include fines.
Mr Pollard said the fact that there hasn’t been a parking increase in 15 years is costing the council “big time”.
“So, we do need to have a big girl boy conversation about it. But we will come back to that I would suggest at a workshop,” said Mr Pollard.
