PLANS for the County Limerick town of Dromcollogher’s draft public realm and tourism project was back on the table after it had been paused for three-years over concerns around loss of car parking spaces.
Fianna Fáil councillor and Cathaoirleach of the Newcastle West Municipal District, Michael Collins, hit out in January that Dromcollogher had been neglected since plans were first halted in August 2023.
With the 100th anniversary of the Dromcollogher Cinema Disaster taking place this September, Cllr Collins took the view that the West Limerick town would now need a “serious hand out”, calling on the district office’s senior engineers to carry out an assessment of the town.
At the March area meeting, the Council’s town regeneration officer Karen Burke told Council members that the local authority now intends to revisit the public realm plan for Dromcollogher, located at the crossroads of the R522 and R515.
“It is a high level strategic plan and there is a requirement for a detailed design to happen after this. What we’re looking to do is note the plan at the moment and seek some funding to take it to the design stage and Part 8,” Ms Burke explained.
Plans for a new public realm design for Dromcollogher originated in 2021 with a number of public consultation events then held in April 2022. The plan was later updated in December 2022. In August 2023 a final iteration of the plan was presented to councillors in the Newcastle West district before being paused.
“One of the key constraints was the permeability of the green space in the middle of the square and there was a number of interventions looked at,” the Council official pointed out.
“One of the biggest constraints in Dromcollogher is the width of the road. There’s been an ask around traffic calming and pedestrian crossings but with the width of the road on all approaches it is very difficult to include.”
The local authority said it would be “hopeful” that it can now secure the funding to bring the project to the detailed design and Part 8 stages.