By Claudia Kennedy
reporter

Donegal Co. Council is being asked to formulate a plan to identify funding which could be available to progress the development of a car park in Ballyshannon.
Ballyshannon based Fine Gael Cllr Barry O’Neill made the call at a meeting of Donegal Co. Council in Lifford on Monday.
Cllr O’Neill told the Donegal Post that while car parking taxes in the town only raise €13,000, the cost of running the facility is €25,000.
“This is due to charges of onstreet parking and a small car park in the Market Yard. I am calling on Donegal Co. Council to build a much needed bigger car park in the town at the back of Castle Street.”
He added that this motion of a new car park for Ballyshannon has been ongoing since 2001.
“Ballyshannon will not be put to the end of the queue. If we had this new car park built we could develop retail units around the car park allowing the town to expand and develop.
“Donegal Co. Council has €940,000 for urban renewal within Co. Donegal. Ballyshannon is requesting €250,000 of that fund to construct our new car park. My motion is simply not to abolish car parking charges but to highlight the fact that Ballyshannon needs a car park which will provide revenue, development and industry in the town”.
Cllr O’Neill is also proposing that if Ballyshannon does not receive its new car park, then parking charges should be abolished. He is raising concerns that there is still no car park in the town and people are forced to pay for on-street parking. Until a proper parking facility is provided, he is calling for these charges to be abolished.
Co. Manager Seamus Neely is to report back in early September to a full sitting of the Co. Council on his findings for a new car park in Ballyshannon.
“I am confident we will get our new car park. I am here to represent Ballyshannon and to deliver the services,” Cllr O’Neill added.