Tuam Council votes against involvement in car park dispute
Galway Bay fm newsroom - Tuam Town Council has voted not to mediate in a dispute over a car park in the town that is currently closed following a High Court order.
A Council meeting this week heard that any mediation by them in the dispute over the car park beside O’Toole’s Super Valu, would have no bearing on a pending decision by An Bord Pleanála.Cllr. Martin Ward proposed that they mediate between the two sides. He said the issue was divisive and some workers were worried about their jobs being lost. Cllr Mary Loftus said small local producers supplying the supermarket were worried about job losses and people were driving to other towns to do their shopping. Cllr Paul O’Grady said he was not saying who was right or wrong but the board should try to mediate.But Mayor Imelda Kelly said any local mediation could not overrule a decision by the High Court or influence what An Bord Pleanála may decide on March 12th.Co. Council official Evan Molloy said that it was now up to the courts and An Bord Pleanála to decide and no negotiations in Tuam would change this. Neither was it common practice for a town board to write to An Bord Pleanála on such issues.