Frustration over lack of parking at local schools

A local councillor has expressed his frustration at “a flaw in the system” preventing the provision of adequate parking at local schools.

During a discussion on safety outside schools at a recent meeting of Athlone Municipal District, Independent councillor Laurence Fallon pointed out that the lack of parking at Mount Talbot National School was a huge issue.

However, he said the school did not have the finance to purchase additional land to extend its car park, the Department of Education “does not have the desire to do it” and the council didn’t see it as its role.

Cllr Fallon described it as a “flaw in the system” and stressed that joined up thinking was needed to ensure schools had adequate parking. 

He said a “mechanism” needed to be put place to allow this to happen. 

“If there is an extension being built on to a school, the Department of Education needs to make sure that there is enough capacity for adequate parking. We should be looking at this from a planning point of view,” he said. 

A local councillor warned that “it’s only a matter of time before we have some tragedy” if the issue wasn't addressed.