Ballina Council management sticks to its guns over outdoor dining measures

There was disagreement between councillors and management at last week’s meeting of Ballina Municipal District over a motion to extend outdoor dining measures introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fine Gael Cllr Jarlath Munnelly proposed that the council "extend the existing Covid-19 measures that were applied to outdoor dining spaces in the county for 2024, including all exemptions", adding that this should be done pending further informed discussion on a strategy for outdoor dining for the Ballina Municipal District.

Letters were recently sent by Ballina Municipal District informing businesses to remove some outdoor dining areas that had been operating since the pandemic.

"There is a desire for businesses to be allowed to continue," Cllr Munnelly said. "I do not think sending out letters unilaterally and saying take [the seating] down is fair."

Cllr Munnelly said Ballina "seems to be out of step" with Westport and the rest of the county where outdoor dining facilities remain.

Cllr Seamus Weir and Cllr Annie May Reape supported the motion.

However, Declan Turnbull, the Head of Ballina Municipal District, said some outdoor dining areas are on the street and in parking areas. He disagreed that Ballina was being treated differently and insisted the council could not reverse the decision.

"If we extend the measures we may be in exactly the same position next year," he concluded, adding that the council would not be changing its position.