*AI rendering of the proposed upper level car park from Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle’s Facebook
A PROPOSAL for an upper-level car park at Abbey Street in Ennis, with space underneath for markets and community events, is to be examined by Ennis Municipal District.
The idea was brought forward by Mayor of Ennis Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) at the October meeting of the municipal district, where he called for the council to explore the feasibility of an open-plan upper-level car park that would provide additional parking while preserving the area’s civic space.
The proposal comes after Ennis 2040 plans to develop the Abbey Street and Harvey’s Quay car parks were paused in March 2025 and officially removed from the strategy in March 2026. Those plans faced significant public opposition, including a silent march and a petition containing 3,700 signatures, with local residents and businesses among those who objected.
In a written response, Senior Engineer Hugh McGrath said the municipal district would examine the potential for improved parking and civic space at Abbey Street Car Park, alongside other opportunities to improve parking and public spaces in the town centre.
He said the assessment would be carried out in the context of the Ennis Local Transport Plan, which seeks to maintain access to town-centre car parks while progressively enhancing the public realm at Abbey Street and the surrounding area.
Mr McGrath said the council was currently prioritising measures to improve the management of existing public parking spaces. Future initiatives would be informed by the effectiveness of those measures and the anticipated shift towards more sustainable transport options, including the Ennis Town Bus Service and the Active Travel programme.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Guilfoyle said Abbey Street was an important area of the town, with motorists regularly driving around the centre looking for somewhere to park while shopping or visiting local businesses.
Drawing on conversations with residents and businesses, he outlined his vision for an additional parking level built on pillars, leaving space below for traffic and public activities.
He said the upper level could also provide shelter for events such as the Christmas market, farmers’ markets and Halloween celebrations, with an LED lighting system that could reflect different occasions and festivities.
“We see value in the car park, and we see value in a civic space,” he said.
He added that Ireland’s wet weather needed to be considered when planning such outdoor events.
“We have this thing in Ireland called rain that comes in the winter,” he said.
Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) supported the proposal, saying the Ennis 2040 focus was more important than ever given the town’s infrastructure needs. He said there was an opportunity to develop Ennis as “a beautiful niche town with lovely streets, Victorian in every way possible”, describing it as “something very special”.
Cllr O’Callaghan said developing the town required “thinking outside of the box” when considering future parking and public realm options.
Cllr Pat Daly (FF) described the proposal as “exciting” and said it was something worth considering for the future.
Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) also supported the motion, praising its forward-thinking approach and the potential for a parking solution through joined-up planning.
Cllr Guilfoyle thanked his fellow councillors for their support and said he looked forward to seeing how the idea could progress.
The proposal remains at an early stage, with the council to examine its feasibility alongside wider transport, parking and public realm objectives for Ennis. No construction commitment or timeline has been confirmed.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
