Kilcullen LAP discussion deferred

Kildare councillors have agreed to defer discussion on the Kilcullen Draft Local Area Plan until the next meeting of the Council, writes Brian Byrne.

This reflects a proposal made by Cllr Ivan Keatley at this afternoon's monthly meeting of the Council, which had been due to consider the working document for the Kilcullen and Monasterevin LAPs.

Cllr Keatley said that since part of Kilcullen was being moved back to the Naas Electoral Area for the May local elections, it would better serve the people of Kilcullen that the Plan be considered by the new Council, in particular the Councillors who would be elected to the new Naas Municipal Area to which all of Kilcullen will belong.

His proposal was seconded by Cllr Martin Miley, who noted also that it was too early to discuss the working document in detail, as it had only been made available to councillors last Thursday. He suggested that common sense dictated the matter should be put back until after the May elections. "We're here to serve the people of Kilcullen, and they would be better served if the matter was put back," he said.

Cllr Mark Wall said he agreed with his fellow Athy Electoral Area councillors, and that deferring the matter would also give the people of Kilcullen more time to consider the issues in the draft Plan.

The County Manager said he could argue that there would be ample time to consider the draft Plan when it went on public display, but he suggested the matter could be tabled for the next meeting of the Athy Area. If the councillors still felt it should be deferred, then that could be discussed at the next monthly meeting of the Council.

Cllr Keatley, who is chairman of the Athy Area Committee, said that would be helpful. It would also mean that the consultation period could be extended into the next Council.

The Council agreed to the proposal without a vote.