Almost 100 penalty notices for illegal parking near University of Limerick

COUNCIL traffic wardens issued 93 fixed penalty notices to drivers parked illegally in estates around University of Limerick (UL) in the first week students returned.

The figures were given to Green Party councillor Sean Hartigan by local authority transport boss Liam Browne.

Charges are as high as €80 when vehicles are parked on footpaths or grass verges.

And this is what is happening around UL, councillors claimed at this month’s metropolitan district meeting.

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Fine Gael councillor Peter Doyle saw a motion passed calling on council traffic wardens to visit Milford Grange, Elm Park and Hazlewood on a weekly basis during the academic year and ticket any cars parked illegally.

He said that one Elm Park resident had told him she felt “held to hostage” in her home due to the fact she feels it is tough to drive from her home with the level of illegally parked vehicles.

Cllr Hartigan welcomed his constituency colleague’s motion, and formally seconded it.

He said when his concerns on parking had been reported previously, he received phone calls from across the country.

“I got a lot of flack out there from the parents of students from Donegal to Dunmanway ringing me up to complain that their little Johnny had got a ticket. One woman in Donegal phoned me to ask where her son could park. I told her he had more choice than anyone in the country as he could leave his car anywhere between Donegal and Limerick - so long as he didn’t park it on the footpath in Castletroy,” said Cllr Hartigan.

Cllr Joe Pond, Fianna Fail, added: “Students are abandoning their cars. Residents cannot walk up their footpaths.”

Mr Browne told councillors that wardens remain in place, and areas continue to be patrolled.

Social Democrats councillors Elisa O’Donovan and Shane Hickey-O’Mara spoke out against the motion, as did Sinn Fein’s Ursula Gavan, who has children in UL.

Cllr O’Donovan said: “It’s punitive on students and it’s not up to the local authority to provide punitive measures for students who cannot get housing or parking in UL.”

Cllr Hickey-O’Mara said the motion lacks empathy, and only places a further financial burden on students.