Laois County Council will take possession of a new 93-space car park on Railway Street, Portlaoise, due to come into use in August or September of this year.
The announcement came from Mr Simon Walton, Director of Services at the Portlaoise Municipal District Committe Meeting this week.
The project is funded under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund as well as significant funding from the Council in the sum of €375,000.
Mr Walton told the Committee that the prices for the car park would be €4 for 24 hours and €2 for 3 hours, which drew a long line of questioning from councilors.
Cllr Thomasina Connell was first to query the price, followed by Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley.
Cllr Wilie Aird called for an extension on the €2 option from 3 hours to 6, which Cllr John Joe Fennelly backed up, saying 3 hours was too restrictive for those using the train service to get to Dublin for medical grounds.
Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald called for the addition of weekly and monthly options for regular commuters; a sentiment which was reiterated Cllr Marie Tuohy, Cllr Connell, and Cllr Barry Walsh.
Mr Walton said the prices set were comparable to adjacent car parks and did not want to create an unbalance with those car parks once the new facility comes in.
Mr Walton pointed out that Towerhill car park has daily rates of €2.40, which is a better option for casual users.
He explained that the new Railway Street car park will be targeted at public transport users with the aim of making Portlaoise a public transport hub.
The possibility of weekly and mothly charges will be revisited at next month’s Committee meeting, with Mr Walton suggesting prices in the region of €11 and €30 would be on the table.
Despite initial concerns over the price, the councilors unanimously hailed this as a good story for Portlaoise and Laois as a whole.
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