*Lisdoonvarna.
INSTALLATION OF EV charging points should be considered as part of resurfacing works for the main car park in Lisdoonvarna, a local representative has argued.
In a proposal before the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) asked that the main town car park in Lisdoonvarna be resurfaced and that works include the installation of EV charging points.
Estimated costs have recently been received by the West Clare MD office for the full resurfacing of the town car park in Lisdoonvarna but the figures were not provided at this week’s sitting.
Senior executive engineer, Enda MacNamara said the area office was working with their colleagues in the transportation section “to try to identify possible sources of funding to allow this work to proceed”.
He advised that the Department of Transport has established a Zero Emissions Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) unit which will “guide local authorities and are supporting a standardised approach towards the development of EV charging policies, strategies and implementation plans to be taken by local authorities. Clare with the support of ZEVI will be going to tender for consultants to carry out an assessment of needs, modelling, a strategy and implementation plan using standardised template documents and briefs. Lisdoonvarna will be included in the assessment of needs along with other settlements across the county”.
Cllr Garrihy told Tuesday’s meeting of the West Clare MD, “the main town car park is the main town car park but it is also the main artery for people passing to a childcare centre with 85 kids each day. It is accepted by all and sundry that resurfacing needs to be done. These small things in local small towns and villages, we have to be pulling and dragging to get them done, it doesn’t sit with the image and everything that goes with it”.
Adding the EV charging points would bring an extra dimension to the area, he felt. “Don’t just cover it in tarmac, have a green area and put in some planting. This town car park was gifted to Clare County Council by the local community in lands that were owned by the local community, they have a right to expect it gets some level of priority”.
Backing the proposal, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) stated, “it is important for Lisdoonvarna as a centre to have a car park in good order, it does need an upgrade and I welcome the positive response which if it comes to all of us it will be welcome”.
