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Parking debate continues as 30 places lost since pandemi

Parking debate continues as 30 places lost since pandemic

The debate over the use of widened footpaths for outdoor dining versus reinstating them as car parking spaces was discussed at last week’s Killarney Municipal District meeting.
Councillor Maura Moloney requested an update on the number of parking spaces that were removed to facilitate outdoor dining during the COVID-19 pandemic and how many have since been restored.
In a reply from a council official, it was stated that Killarney Municipal District, in conjunction with other groups, implemented the "Safe Streets project" in response to national COVID-19 guidance. This project included adding to public footpaths to allow for social distancing and, later, outdoor dining.
The official noted that these footpath "build-outs" are still in place, "facilitating Killarney businesses" and providing "vibrancy and enrichment to residents and visitors."
According to the council, an initial 33 parking spaces were removed to accommodate outdoor dining. In the past eight months, the Killarney MD Office has removed three of these build-outs, and the spaces have been returned to car parking. The "Safe Streets project" measures are still under continuous review.