Fine Gael Councillor Betty Manning has criticised the stalling of work on the Parade project for two weeks over Christmas.
Cllr Manning said that this project is in a critical area and needs to be completed as quickly as is feasibly possible. She asked the council at this month’s meeting on Monday night about the shutting down of the site over Christmas.
“The Parade project is one of huge magnitude and I have to query why a project of such importance to the city would literally shut down from Friday December 19 until January 5. Projects of this description normally go full steam ahead and they should not lose momentum. Easter is coming and I hope that this project in the city centre will not close down again.”
Cllr Manning stated also that a project in any city centre should be finished in the shortest possible time.
“Is there any reason that work should stop on Saturday?” she asked. “Given the importance of the tourist season and taking business interests into consideration in the immediate area, I wonder why this should happen.”
She also mentioned the possibility of work being carried out during the long summer evenings and early mornings.
“Work could easily begin earlier and finish later than 5pm once the days get longer in a bid to complete this important project sooner rather than later,”
Senior engineer, Kieran Fizgerald pointed out that work had indeed gone on last summer after hours and that the project would be finished on time.
Cllr Manning asked,” would it be a mortal sin if this project were finished ahead of schedule?”
John McCormack, Director of Services told the Kilkenny Advertiser that the project was a 16 month project and began last March.
“We hope that the works will be completed by July of this year but we also hope that the canal bank walk will be finished and open by the end of this month or beginning of February.”
