Visitors to Kildare park using disabled spots 'abhorrent'
Kerdiffstown Park
The issue of non-disabled people using disabled parking spaces at Kerdiffstown Park has been raised recently.
At the most recent meeting of Naas Municipal District, cllr Anne Breen brought forward a motion on the meeting agenda requesting the following: “That the council improves and gives more visibility to the signage at the disabled parking area in Kerdiffstown Park to ensure that these parking locations are readily available for disabled persons and not taken up by other people.”
Cathaoirleach Seamie Moore as well as cllrs Bill Clear, Fintan Brett and Cllr Evie Sammon expressed their support.
A report issued in response to the motion by acting senior parks and landscaping officer in Kildare County Council Simon Wallace pointed out that the accessible parking spaces are “clearly identified and marked and designated for people with special needs.”
The report stated that there are no plans to carry out further works but that the parks department “will be implementing the use of leaflets to highlight to users the correct use of these spaces.”
Mr Wallace’s report stated that “there is no reason for people without special needs to use them.”
Cllr Clear described non-disabled people who park in the spaces as “anti-social” and “abhorrent”.
Despite agreeing with the sentiment of the motion, cllr Sammon said that the situation was getting into the realm of “parenting adults”.
Mr Wallace said the council has contacted the clubs who use the facilities at the park to speak to their members about the issue.
Cllr Sammon also added her idea for the use of stickers on cars to be implemented, reasoning that it would have more of an impact on those wrongly using the disabled spaces.
