Council coffers are to receive a boost this week as members of Kilkenny Borough Council have agreed that it should sell a piece of land on Parliament Street/Market Yard.
The area amounts to just 0.017 of an acre at the Market Yard and the miniscule piece of land is to fetch some €80,000.
The sale of the land was proposed by Cllr Paul Cuddihy and was seconded by Cllr Joe Reidy.
Cllr Cuddihy wished Mr Crotty (who is buying the land ) well and pointed out that he had been careful about the refurbishment project, which he had been undertaking.
“He is keeping the facade of the building and the new part will really just be an extension of the courthouse,” he said. “I propose the sale and I wish him luck with it.”
He added that the council continues to retain the ownership of the footpath in front of the building.
Cllr Reidy asked that the funds earned from the land in question be ringfenced for amenity projects for Kilkenny city.
“I think that this money could be put into some amenity for Kilkenny city. It’s money we weren’t expecting and it gives us a little leeway,” he said.
County manager Joe Crockett agreed and said that the money would go into a capital project that will make an impact and last into the future.
Cllr Betty Manning asked had nobody considering putting public toilets into the area in question.
“Didn’t anybody think of applying to Mr Crotty for some land where we could locate some public loos?” said.
“Or is this discussion just a rubber stamp for something that has already been decided?”
Council official Brian Tyrell told the members that the new courthouse which will be open officially in the autumn will have toilets which will be open to tourists and those in the area.
Cllr Manning pointed out that there would need to be a sign in the area alerting the public to their presence.
