Averil Power (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the proposed introduction of paid parking in Howth. I am not opposed to paid parking in all circumstances as it makes sense in certain cases. In Malahide it was the businesses which sought the introduction of paid parking because they were having a problem with people parking for the entire day which made it impossible for shoppers and visitors to park for short periods during the day. It also makes sense in Dublin city centre for the same reason, as there is a shortage of spaces and one needs to free them up to give the maximum number of people an opportunity to use them. This is absolutely not the case in Howth. Apart from a few fine days during the summer, there is never a problem with parking on the harbour.

Not only is it unnecessary to introduce paid parking in Howth, it would have a major negative impact on the area and put people off travelling there to shop in marine businesses such as fishmongers, restaurants and other retail businesses in the village. It would put people off travelling out to walk the pier and Howth Head and to use the marine resources. Marine leisure is a huge draw for Howth. Howth Yacht Club is the biggest water sports club in Ireland with 1,700 members. People go scuba diving, sea kayaking and angling in Howth. It has a wide range of water sports and has become more popular in recent years. A huge amount of activity takes place there. One of the reasons it is so attractive to such a wide range of users is because of the free parking. It is a difficult enough place to reach and is somewhere people go for the day. People do not pop in and out for half an hour but make the journey to spend the day.

I have tabled this Adjournment matter to raise this issue, which came as a shock. It is contrary to the marine development plan of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine which was launched by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, the first key objective of which was stakeholder consultation whereby people would be asked when major decisions would be made. Local businesses were shocked to discover this was being considered without any consultation having taken place. Rumours had been circulating for months that it was being considered. It then emerged the local authority and the Garda had been asked for their views on an informal basis but local businesses had not.

There is huge opposition to the proposal. Representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine met some harbour users on 7 February and the points I have made were articulated strongly by a wide range of groups. Written submissions have been made by the yacht club, the sea kayaking club and the Howth Sutton Baldoyle chamber of commerce and the Howth Sutton community council. There is a wide range of opposition to the proposals.

I have written to the Minister, Deputy Coveney, on this and I am awaiting a detailed response outlining the logic behind this. Has a cost-benefit analysis of the proposal been conducted? As I have outlined, there are many reasons to be against its introduction in terms of the impact on businesses, community groups and a wide range of users. It seems the only potential logic, if there is one, is that it would make money, but no evidence has been put forward to show this is the case. We know where paid parking has been introduced in other villages and towns throughout the country that it has been a disaster and one in three schemes is losing money.

It has been reported that local authorities around the country are losing millions of euro due to pay parking. There are many reasons against it and no case has been put forward to any of the interest groups that have been in touch with the Department showing that a proper feasibility analysis and cost-benefit analysis have been carried out.

Have such analyses been carried out by the Department? If so, what is the estimated income and on what charging structure, for example, hourly and daily rates, is that estimate based? What is the estimated cost of operating the system? Installing parking meters incurs a significant start-up cost and the ongoing cost of policing the system needs to be taken into account. Has an analysis of the likely loss of revenue to the State from other sources been conducted? Undoubtedly, Howth's struggling businesses will be driven out of business by extra charges. Jobs will be lost. Have these factors been taken into account? Has the experience in other areas been considered? In Dún Laoghaire, for example, the Irish Sailing Association has written to the Department highlighting the problems brought about by the introduction of pay parking.

If the Minister of State cannot tell me whether such an analysis has been done, it will be shocking. Such a significant decision should only be based on proper research and analysis. However, if an analysis has been done, will it be published so that the stakeholders can see the rationale on which the Department has based its decision?