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By Sean Moriarty

A recent move in Cork where 17 city centre streets will be pedestrianised will have ramifications in Killarney. Cork, like most towns and cities in the country, including Killarney, introduced a ‘Safe Streets’ programme last summer.

It was designed to encourage footfall and social distancing in town centres as the country attempted to reopen following the first wave of COVID-19 last year.

Even before pandemic restrictions, the pedestrianisation of Killarney town centre has divided Council and commercial opinion.

Only last week, Kerry County Council announced it was to extend the ‘Safe Streets’ programme until at least October 31 this year – the third extension of the plan and one that increases its timeframe from an initial three months to over a year.

Next Monday, Cork County Council contractors will begin works in the city centre to pedestrianise streets that were previously included in their temporary ‘Safe Streets’ plan.

Councillor Donal Grady, who has been a long time opponent of street closures in Killarney believes a similar move is on the cards here.

He always maintained that the ‘Safe Streets’ programme was an underhand attempt by the Council to bring in pedestrianisation without a proper consultation process.

“This is hunting people away from Killarney town centre and they will hunt even more,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “They have already taken 70 parking spaces away from the town centre.”

Former Mayor, Cllr Michael Gleeson, who is a supporter of Killarney pedestrianisation, says the current ‘Safe Streets’ plan could be expanded even further.

“I would love to see the day when Main St is closed to traffic,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “Pedestrianisation is vitally important. It fits with our advertising slogan – ‘The town in the park and the park in the town'.”