15 minutes free parking to be reinstated in Kilkenny from September

Mayor Andrew McGuinness, who recently expressed frustration regarding the length of time it is taking to reinstate the free 15 minute parking period, has confirmed that free parking period will be fully restored from September 2.

Reinstating the free period was unanimously supported by all seven elected members of Kilkenny Municipal District at the May meeting, before the local elections. Members hoped it would have been implemented some time ago.

In May 2023 the members of Kilkenny Municipal District, with the exception of Cllr David Fitzgerald voted in favour of a number of parking changes including the removal of 15 minutes of free parking. Following outcry from the public and local traders the members reversed their decision.

Last week Mayor McGuinness publicly called for this to happen as a matter of urgency, stating that the delay was 'unfair on local business, particularly small business, and unfair on elderly and those with mobility challenges'.

Today (Thursday) Mayor McGuinness confirms that he has now been given a date of September 2 for full reinstatement of the free 15 minute parking period in council parking spaces throughout the city.

"I have just been informed that the signage required for the parking amendments agreed at the May Meeting of the Kilkenny Municipal District has been delivered and now our engineers can fully reinstate the free 15 minute period.

"While I'm disappointed at how long it took, I do understand the challenges that our engineers had to deal with and I'm happy that we now have an official date and we will get our free parking back as requested by the elected members," concluded Mayor McGuinness.