The debate over a multi-storey car park for Killarney, a topic that has been a point of contention for many years, entered its latest chapter this week.

.A proposal by Cllr Marie Moloney to formally reverse the Planning Regulator's request to remove the multi-storey car park from Killarney's plans was deemed "not appropriate" for a Municipal District meeting as the matter is already part of a separate, ongoing statutory process.
The town's long-running struggle with parking has seen multiple sites mooted over the years, including the Áras Phádraig and Lewis Road car park sites. The most recent focus has been on the lower New Street Car Park, a site that has been proposed by council management as a preferred location for a three-storey facility estimated to cost almost €13 million and provide more than 500 spaces.
In her motion, Cllr. Moloney called for the council to write to the Planning Regulator, outlining the necessity of a multi-storey car park. "I refer to the recent article stating that the Planning Regulator asked Kerry County Council to remove multi-storey car park from Killarney Plans," Cllr. Moloney stated. "I propose that we write to the Planning Regulator outlining the town’s need for a multi-storey car park, given the amount of development planned for Killarney Town."
In reply, the council clarified that the matter was being addressed through the Kerry County Development Plan 2022-2028 (Killarney Settlements Plan). This statutory process, which was on display for public inspection from Thursday, June 12, 2025, until Friday, July 11, 2025, received a total of 88 submissions, including a key one from the Office of the Planning Regulator.
The OPR’s submission, made on July 10, recommended that plans for the multi-storey car park be scrapped.
The OPR noted that while the proposed plan aims to facilitate a new car park, a section of the same plan also states there is sufficient parking in the town, citing 1,373 spaces in public car parks and additional on-street and private spaces.
The council's report, which summarised all submissions including the OPR's, was circulated to all elected members on August 7.
According to the council, the proposed variation and all received submissions will be considered by the full Council at a meeting scheduled for later this month. Given the advanced stage of this statutory process, Cllr. Moloney's motion was not advanced at the municipal district level, reinforcing that the debate over a multi-storey car park is far from over.