Wexford mayor calls for action over increase in casinos — ‘these are not what we want to see in our town centre’

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

With The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) estimating that 130,000 people in Ireland suffer from gambling addiction the Mayor of Wexford has asked how the local council can prevent more and more casinos from popping up in town centres.

Speaking at the July meeting of Wexford County Council (WCC), Councillor Vicky Barron said the presence of multiple casinos in Wexford town was not sending out the right message for those dealing with gambling addictions. And while WCC has refused planning permission for some of these premises, many operators have appealed those decisions successfully.

“There are premises opening up at the moment where WCC refuses planning but the applicant appeals the decision to An Coimisúin Pleanála (ACP) and it approves them,” said Cllr Barron. “What options do we have in these instances? Can we take a judicial review?

“It’s frustrating when you see casinos opening in the town, there’s an argument to say they’re wanted otherwise they wouldn’t be opening, but there’s so many people with addictions right now and these are not what we want to see in our town centre.”

But, according to director of planning Liz Hore, there was little the council could do once ACP made its ruling.

“Any application that comes in is made to the planning authority and then, whether we grant or refuse planning, the applicant has the option to appeal the decision to ACP,” she said. “That’s the process and there’s no way around it.”

However, Ms Hore said the councillors could strengthen the legislation around gambling venues when the next Local Area Plan was drafted to “protect our architectural heritage within urban spaces.”