There are calls for greater efforts to improve the area where the weekly Killaloe Market is held.
Local TD Michael McNamara recently met with Clare County Council officials to discuss the site which is located on a sliver of land between the Canal and the River Shannon.
The market has two access points with one from the bridge linking Killaloe and Ballina on the Tipp side of the river and the other from a pedestrian bridge.
Deputy McNamara says the timing of the decision by the local authority to carry out remedial works on the metal pedestrian bridge has had a negative impact on the market.
“I think these kind of works should be carried out in the off peak season when the market isn’t as busy, when there aren’t as many traders there when there aren’t as many locals from across the midwest at this stage who come to see it and use it, and tourists around the place. Because space is so tight it has resulted in a number of car parking spaces being bollarded off which is not ideal at the busiest time of the year.”
Deputy McNamara says clothes and bottle banks in the vicinity of the Killaloe Market may be relocated in a bid to provide more space for traders.
“Well they did say that it was a reasonable proposal to look at alternatives for the bottle bank and clothes bank. They also explained the timing of the works to the bridge that they took the decision that it was best to get it done rather than put it off until after the summer and get it done as soon as funding became available. I suppose that’s a judgement call – one that I’d question.”
