The proposed new long stay car park for Ballina, located at the soon to be vacated Ballina Town Council depot at Bachelors Walk in the town saw the town engineer, Michael O’Grady, and Mayor Mary Kelly clash over inviting the sole objectors to come in and discuss their objections with the council. Mr O’Grady told the council that only one couple put in a submission on the part eight report to the council and that it was more of an objection than a submission. He outlined the issues raised in the submission and his response to each of those issues, which included safety concerns, visibility concerns, anti social behaviour, noise issues, and potential use of the car park by boy racers.
Mayor Kelly asked the engineer to arrange a meeting with the people who made the submission to talk about the issues. Mr O’Grady told her that he had responded to the issues in his report. He went on to say that he would have no problem talking about the issues with the people who made the submission if they came to see him, but he could not go out actively looking for the people because it would set a precedent that would see him having to go and seek out every person who makes a submission on a part eight report. Sometimes there could be up to 40 different submissions on part eight proposals put forward by the council.
Mayor Kelly also brought up a problem she had with part eight reports being proposed and seconded before every member had a chance to debate the issues. This comment raised the ire of Fianna Fáil councillor Willie Nolan who proposed the report. “I wasn’t hasty about it, I gave my proposal because I read the report and made my decision,” he said. “I agree with the engineer and his report. You can’t go and pander to every person. If you did, you would have to see 40 to 50 people who make a submission on every project.” Mayor Kelly then told the meeting, “as long as I’m in this chair I will no longer accept a proposal and seconder until there is a full debate on this issue.”
The renovation of the depot into a car park when the town council will vacate in the near future will see the creation of 70 new long stay car parking spaces in the town.
