New parking by-laws in Tipperary are 'unfair to people parking in Clonmel'

A councillor in Tipperary has said that the council's new harmonized parking by-laws are 'unfair to people parking in Clonmel'.

Councillors at Tipperary County Council’s Monthly Meeting this December discussed whether to bring a draft of this year’s 'Harmonised Parking Bye-Laws 2026' to a public consultation stage.

James Murray, who is the council’s Senior Engineering Manager, addressed the meeting and said that he and other staff members felt that the draft was ready to go to another public consultation.

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Workers and Unemployed Action Group Cllr Pat English disagreed with this and told the meeting that the new by-laws were unfair on the people of Clonmel.

“The Clonmel people are providing almost half of the whole county's income from parking charges,” he explained. He said that a total of €3 million was collected in Tipperary for parking charges last year, with €1.4 million coming from Clonmel.

“I was under the impression that the parking harmonisation by-laws around the County would have reduced the burden on Clonmel people. The SPC committee has failed the people of Clonmel.

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"We shouldn’t have to continue to pay the highest rates of parking charges. The SPC have made no progress in creating a farrier charging system across the county.

"Other harmonisation rates across the county have included rates like graveyard charges and other charges. Clonmel car owners are paying too much to park in Clonmel and those charges are having a detrimental effect on businesses in Clonmel.

"I think we should go back to the SPC to be looked at again as it’s very unfair on the people of Clonmel,” explained Cllr English.

James Murray told the meeting that the council felt that they couldn’t make any more progress without first going to the public.

“The proposal has a very significant spectrum of products with a spectrum of prices across three tiers. Clonmel is a tier one town, Thurles and Nenagh are tier two towns and the rest are tier three.

"I think the public at this stage should have their say on what we’re proposing in order to inform the conversation further,” he said.

Independent Cllr Jim Ryan proposed that the public consultation go ahead and this was seconded by Labour Cllr Fiona Bonfield. The proposal was subsequently passed and will go to the public consultation stage next.