‘Absolute chaos’: Decade-long dispute over Kerry bus stop comes to a head
The KerrymanA Municipal District meeting in Dingle got off to a passionate start as a councillor accused Kerry County Council of ‘bullying’ a local businessman.
A furious Councillor Jackie Healy-Rae chased the task of resolving a 15-year dispute between a Farranfore business and the location of a nearby bus stop, interrupting embattled council officers as he went.
He called for the council to revoke the licence of private bus operators using an area outside the business as a bus stop, ultimately hitting up against the limits of the council’s powers.
A business in Farranfore has had issues with the location of the bus stop for around 15 years, the meeting heard, with buses blocking the customer car park and creating safety concerns.
At the meeting, the council said they had appointed a contractor to locate and design a new bus stop in the village, but Cllr Healy-Rae, who had brought this issue to previous meetings, was not appeased.
“Given the amount of discussion, I’m disgusted at the reply,” he said.
“Despite countless councillors, engineers, MD managers there’s still no solution…are you not embarrassed?”
“You’re allowing it to continue and council managers are allowing it to continue.”
Councillor Charlie Farrelly said he had seen first-hand what was happening when he used the bus service after landing in Farranfore Airport.
“Absolute chaos,” he said, recounting a scene where the business owner had put a chain over the entrance to the car park to prevent it from being blocked.
He witnessed a bus pull up and as the luggage door lifted up, it caught on the chain and snapped it in half.
Cllr Farrelly said the business owner was being ‘bullied’ and the current situation was a ‘major’ health and safety risk.
The MD manager, Kathleen Moriarty, attempted a reply, but after asking patience from the councillors, an angry Cllr Healy-Rae interrupted her.
“You’re living in a fairy world…it’s so disingenuous to say that we should have a bit of patience,” he shouted.
KCC Senior Executive Engineer Paul Curry expressed his shock at Cllr Healy-Rae’s tone, arguing that the council was working to solve the problem.
He highlighted that there was a lot of traffic on the national primary road and that a survey was underway to assess new locations.
“I understand the angst with the business…I’m at odds to understand how a councillor can speak the way he’s spoken to the people in this room,” said Mr Curry.
“I’m surprised at the tone of the councillor’s narrative, I don’t think it reflects the level of work put in by the officers in this room.”
“You are much better off working with us.”
A council officer added that they expected the new bus stop location to go out to public consultation before Christmas, with the final report to go before councillors for approval in January.
Cllr Healy-Rae continued to press for the revoking of the licence of the private bus operators at that stop, with Councillor Tommy Griffin seconding his motion.
However, a council engineer advised that Kerry County Council could not revoke the licence as it was an executive function.