A county councillor is to contact Gardai to ask if it will be policy to give parking tickets to GAA fans attending games in future.
Councillor Patrick McGowan was speaking after dozens of fans yesterday received €40 fines for illegally parking in Ballybofey and Stranorlar during the Donegal GAA county final on October 16th last.
One irate fan contacted Donegal Daily to say he was furious after parking in the same spot for many years only to receive a fine in the post.
He even recalls how match stewards have assisted them on occasion to park along the Railway Road where he received the ticket.
Cllr McGowan confirmed the tickets were NOT issued by Donegal County Council but by the Gardai.
He said he understood that people could not block entrances or wheelchair accessible areas but asked if a precedent had now ben set with regard to parking in the area.
“I completely understand that people have to park responsibly but these are unique occasions. There was more than seven thousand people at this particular game and there will be many more at county games.
“Why should people attending such occasions who are not blocking traffic but penalised. I will be contacting the Gardai to see what happened and what is the situation going forward,” he said.
Cllr McGowan said he was merely looking for fair play as such parking restrictions were normally relaxed during occasion s such as festivals and the like.
“I full understand and respect that people should never park in disabled bays or block footpaths or emergency entrances.
“But I am aware what happened here and people have traditionally parked on the Railway Road and other places with one wheel on the footpath while still allowing ample room for people to pass by on the footpath.
“This situation needs to be looked at again before the next big sporting occasion at MacCumhaill Park.
“It is simply not fair on those who attended the game in good spirit and I feel for those who were hit with these fines,” he said.
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