Kilkenny Borough Council has produced a new set of guidelines to advise people and groups who wish to use public spaces – the Parade and Canal Square – to hold events.
The guide – issued at this week’s meeting of the borough council – covers everything from parking and traffic management to litter and waste control. It also requires people to submit an application form for consideration by the council’s Corporate Affairs Department.
However, a number of councillors have raised concerns about the document’s suitability. For example, the seven-page application form requires various details such as an ‘organisation profile’ of the applicant, information on the experience and qualifications of event personnel, and projections on the event’s commercial value and growth potential.
Councillor Kathleen Funchion said that the document could potentially discourage certain groups from applying to use the spaces.
“Amateur groups might be put off by this form,” she said.
Fianna Fail councillor Andrew McGuinness agreed.
“We want to encourage young bands,” he said.
“This application form could be daunting to some young groups.”
Town Clerk Brian Tyrell said that it was important for all groups to read the document, regardless of size or status.
The council also disagreed over whether events should be allowed to charge people for entrance, given that the Parade and Canal Square are public spaces.
Councillor Sean O’ hArgain felt that, under certain circumstances, such a charge should be permitted.
“I’m personally not in favour of the stipulation that we never charge or never allow people to charge for events on the parade,” he said.
The Labour councillor felt that imposing such restrictions might deter certain festivals from applying for the use of the spaces.
Councillor Martin Brett disagreed.
“I’m very much against charging on these public spaces,” he said.
“People in Kilkenny have funded the Parade. We shouldn’t charge them for attending.”
The Green Party’s Cllr Malcom Noonan agreed with Cllr Martin Brett. He also said that more could be done to host live music events.
“The borough council could purchase a sound system,” he suggested.
“These groups are increasingly coming to us, and we could be more pro-active and it would show the versatility of the space.”
