This article is from page 20 of the 2005-08-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
FURIOUS traders in the Merchants Quay area of Ennis are demanding that something be done to improve the upkeep of the area.
They claim that the cobblestone streets are unsafe and have been the cause of accidents. Indeed Ennis Town Council has refused to col- lect rubbish in the area as they also consider is a safety issue with the cobblestone streets. As there is no refuse service for residents living in apartments, rubbish is often dumped in the streets. The overall poor con- dition of the area, traders believe, has led to a downturn in trade and in some instances has forced some businessess to close down.
In May 2001 Ennis Town Council, stated in a letter to solicitors acting on behalf of the traders, that there was safety issues to be resolved in relation to the cobblestreet surface. Mr Desmond Houlihan who is the developer of Merchants Quay, in- dicated to the council the situation would be rectified and that he no longer wished the council to take the scheme into its charge. Local trad- ers point out that very little has been done in the interveening period.
Despite paying rates to both the council and the developer they say
no services are being provided to Weloveee
In 2003 traders were served with enforcement notices for non-compli- ance with planning conditions at- tatched to the granting of planning permission in 1991, by Ennis Town Council. Both the traders and the
developer were threatened with legal action if they failed to comply with the notices. Since these notices were sent out no action has been taken. Traders feel they are being vic- timised as the planning conditions were laid out in 1991 and they only signed the leases for the premises
in 1996. Tony Muffett is the owner of “Patricias International Fashions’ in Merchants Quay which is due to close down.
‘ T ask the question that why is it that the enforcement notice was is- sued in 2003, we are now in 2005 and no action has been taken against the developer by the enforcement section of Clare County Council” he said on Thursday.
He went onto add that the poor condition of the area “is causing a blighting of the street. It 1s expen- sive enough with rates. We are being forced to pay the council and they won’t even come down the street as they consider there is a safety 1s- sue with it. The rubbish overhead 1s being deposited on the streets and somebody needs to take action”’.
The Mayor of Ennis, Frankie Ney- lon, has called on Mr. Houlihan to hold discussions with the traders.
“T would be expecting Mr Houli- han, being the landlord would sit down with the traders. They are the people who are paying the rents and who have the leases. If their busi- nesses aren’t successful there is only one way to go and that is to leave. That would be a huge problem for the centre of the town and I wouldn’t like to see it happen” said Cllr Ney- lon.