LIMERICK Council has been urged, in conjunction with An Garda SÃochána and the management of TUS Gaelic Grounds, to urgently review and strengthen the traffic and parking management plan for all major GAA fixtures.
A motion from Aontú councillor Sarah Beasley at the recent Metropolitan District meeting was raised in light of the severe and recurring disruption experienced by residents of Caherdavin Lawn and the surrounding estates.
According to Cllr Beasley, a recent fixture at the Gaelic Grounds saw residents trapped in their homes until the match had finished.
“Cars were parked on footpaths, corners, on double yellow lines, green areas, blocking driveways, and this is not a one-off. There’s a real safety issue here when emergency vehicles cannot get through. An ambulance being blocked from a residential estate is not acceptable,” Cllr Beasley hit out.
“The GAA, the GardaÃ, and Council all say illegal parking will be ticketed and cars towed, but this is not happening on match days. Enforce the existing rules and have the Gardaà present in the estate, and not just the main road.
“Ticket and tow when necessary as the warning signs are already there. The GAA also have a role to play in this. They need to do more to steer supports towards city centre parking and walking to matches,” she insisted.
Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara seconded the motion, saying: “This area is GAA mad. They are so supportive of the matches and they want the footfall, but it has been an issue for a very long time now. My grandmother used to park across her driveway on match days so she wouldn’t be blocked in.”
In response, the Council said that traffic and parking management arrangements for major fixtures at the TUS Gaelic Grounds are managed through established coordination and planning processes.
“Ahead of large attendance events, the GAA convenes pre-event meetings with all relevant statutory agencies, including An Garda SÃochána and Limerick City and County Council, this includes
discussion on operational and traffic arrangements.
“Parking for stadium staff, stewards, and wheelchair users is provided within the stadium grounds and at designated nearby locations, including Dunnes Stores. Parking is available in
city-centre car parks with additional match-day parking for patrons facilitated by Na Piarsaigh GAA,” the Council stated.
They went on to say that An Garda SÃochána, as the traffic authority, is the body responsible for planning, implementing, and enforcing the Traffic Management Plan, including road closures, diversions, parking controls, and post-match traffic flows.
“These arrangements are communicated to the public in advance through media and other channels. An Garda SÃochána prepare a comprehensive Garda Traffic Management Plan for a capacity
crowd of approximately 44,000 spectators. This includes widespread temporary road closures and diversions on the Ennis Road, Shelbourne Road, Cratloe Road ,and surrounding areas, restrictions on access to residential estates, and strong enforcement against illegal parking and obstructions, including ticketing and towing where necessary.”
– Local Democracy Reporting Scheme