Louth councillor seeks major changes to pay parking in Dundalk

Louth County Council has confirmed it will be carrying out a full review of its pay parking areas next year, following a motion at the Dundalk Municipal District October meeting that called on the local authority to assess a potential expansion of the pay parking areas.

In his motion at the October meeting, Cllr Ciarán Fisher called on Louth County Council to "initiate a review of the existing pay parking/pay and display areas in the Municipal District of Dundalk.

"The purpose of this review is to assess potential expansion of the pay parking area and to reduce the pressure on peripheral areas which report parking issues, while ensuring sustainable and equitable parking management." Cllr Fisher's motion put forward that the review should specifically consider:

• "Increased provision for employee parking to address the needs of local workers and reduce congestion in core areas.
• "Current practices of employee parking on the fringes of the existing pay parking area, with particular attention to areas like Seatown and surrounding streets, to evaluate impacts on local traffic and accessibility.
• "The introduction of tiered parking rates, with lower rates applied in peripheral zones as distance from the town centre or high-demand areas increases, to encourage balanced usage.
• "Variable lower rates based on street-specific circumstances, such as streets without residential houses or sections of street adjacent to walls with no houses, to minimize impacts on non-residential areas.
• "Integration of relevant proposals from Ireland's Active Travel Programme, which aims to promote walking and cycling for improved public health, environmental protection, and urban liveability."

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Cllr Fisher added that: "Upon completion of the review, any recommended expansions, rate adjustments, or other changes to the pay parking areas shall be presented to the Council for approval on a street-by-street basis, allowing members to vote individually on each proposed street or zone.

"This motion seeks to align parking policies with broader sustainability goals while supporting local businesses, residents, and active travel initiatives."

Responding to the Independent councillor's motion, Bernadette Woods, Head of Finance and System Support at Louth County Council, said that "a full review of all our pay parking areas across Louth will be undertaken in 2026.