This article is from page 80 of the 2007-06-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 80 JPG
SHOPPERS in Kilrush could soon have their parking fees paid for them under a new scheme draw up by the Chamber of Commerce.
The proposal from the chamber is that a new type of parking ticket would be brought in with a detach- able portion which drivers can then bring with them to be given a refund in participating shops.
The meeting of Kilrush Town Council at which the proposal was
presented heard that individual busi- nesses would set their own ceiling on how much customers have to spend to get their parking fee back.
And the chamber has said it will contribute €1,350 – one third of the cost of redesigning and reprint- ing tickets – if the town council will come on board and pay for the rest.
In a letter outlining the proposal, the council said that the move would attract more business into the town and would be supported by cham- ber members, making parking discs
more readily available and increas- ing revenue for the council.
Cllr Stephan O’Gorman described the proposal as “a very positive initi- ative and very community oriented.”
Cllr Liam O’Looney said that there was “a big onus on every business in the town to participate. The real winner here is the customer and it could make the difference between a person shopping in Kilrush or some- where else.”
Councillor Marian McMahon- Jones said that while she welcomed
the initiative, she was saddened to think that businesses which didn’t participate would lose out. “It’s busi- nesses that are paying for the parking now’, she said.
Cllr Deirdre Culligan said that she would “hate to see the cost of this added to any item being bought. I’d hate to think that pensioners or peo- ple who don’t have cars will have to pay 30 or 40 cents more because of this initiative.”
The council members voted in fa- vour of the initiative.