Illegal parking at the square in Newmarket-on-Fergus is to be monitored by Clare County Council.

Cllr Pat McMahon brought the matter to the attention of the local authority at the July meeting of the Shannon Municipal District. “Due to the illegal parking of cars on the footpaths in the square, Newmarket-on-Fergus and the double parking of cars in said square that the Council put in place a possible solution as pedestrians feel very aggrieved at certina times,” read his motion.

In reply, Senior Executive Engineer, Eugene O’Shea outlined “The parking of vehicles at this location will be monitored in the short-term with a view to establishing the extent of this particular issue and consideration of appropriate measures to deal with it”.

“A minority of motorists are putting people in a dangerous position”, Cllr McMahon replied. He said that illegally parked cars were “making it difficult for the disabled walking on footpaths”. The Fianna Fáil councillor pointed to the volume of business in the area with ten various businesses located around the square.

Fine Gael’s John Crowe seconded the motion. “Parking is a major problem, no provisions are made”, “villages are being clogged up”, he added.

Also at the meeting, Cllr McMahon asked that no overnight parking be enforced at the back entrance of Lough Ash Lake at Kilnasoolagh Park in Newmarket. The Council committed to installing the signage “at the earliest opportunity”.

McMahon added his praise for O’Shea and the Council staff for roadworks in the village of Newmarket-on-Fergus which is “ninety to ninety five percent done”. There has been a new surface added to the main road along the village, “the street was an absolute disaster”, he said but the former businessman stated the improvements have been drastic, “If Shannon was ever closed you could land a plane there”.