CITY PARKING CHARGES REDUCED BY CITY COUNCIL

Date Published: 13-Dec-2011

Galway City Council has voted to lower car parking charges around the city from January 1st.

Budget 2012, of just over €81 million, was passed at a special City Council budget meeting last evening.

Business will welcome the decision to keep commercial rates at 2011 levels - they will remain at €65.46.

The Pact members of the council, featuring Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independent Cllrs passed their budget by a majority of ten votes to five absentions.

A similar budget proposed by the Labour councillors was voted down.

The good news for motorists is that parking charges in the city will come down from January 1st – the daily rate down to €4 and the hourly on-street parking rate of €2.60 will come down to just €2.

The Dyke Road car park will also be converted, with 320 daily parking spaces at €4 a day, and 230 spaces in a short-term car park at €2 per hour.

The Refuse waiver will be left at the 2011 levels of €250 euro which householders can claim for waste collection.

Cllrs ring-fenced funding for the Ironman competition, Sports, Arts, Gaillimh le Gaeilge and the Galway Civil Trust.

They've also put aside €60,000 to promote and market the city.

The council saved money by cutting €30 ,000 from beach services, €50,000 from fire services costs - which they share with the county council – and €65,000 from the city council's pension fund.