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A proposal to hold a second public consultation on the future of the pedestrianisation of Plunkett St was overturned at Wednesday’s Killarney Municipal District meeting.

Cllr Niall O’Callaghan said at the meeting that there was no real plan attached to the Plunkett Street pedestrianisation initiative which was introduced last year.

The street closes to traffic every evening at 7pm and reopens the following morning at 7am. A council employee places a barrier across the top of the street to prevent traffic from entering.

“It is the same thing as placing a cow gate on the street, did we put music there or seating, there is no plan, just a cow gate,” Cllr O’Callaghan told the meeting.

Cllr Brendan Cronin is a supporter saying it has been very positive.

“It has enhanced our town and it is paramount to maintain it,” he said.

At the end of a lively debate a vote was taken by the six councillors present at the meeting.

“If we turn our back on pedestrianisation we are turning our back on tourism. I am pleading to you all to maintain the amount of pedestrianisation we have now and to look at extending its scope in the near future,” said Mayor of Killarney Cllr Michael Gleeson ahead of the vote on reopening Plunkett St to traffic.

In the end, three councillors voted for the proposal; Niall O’Callaghan, Maura Healy-Rae, and Marie Moloney, and three voted against the motion; Michael Gleeson, Brendan Cronin and Niall Kelleher.

Cllr Donal O’Grady was absent from the meeting.

Mayor Gleeson used his casting vote to overturn the proposal.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Do you agree or disagree with the pedestrianisation of Plunkett St?Email your views to: newsdesk@killarneyadvertiser.ie.