Division over casual trading procedures and street markets
A REVIVED local street market in Navan would have a positive impact on business elsewhere in the town by bringing people in from throughout the region, a councillor told a meeting of Meath County Council.
Sinn Fein Cllr Eddie Fennessy was speaking during a debate on a notice of motion proposed by Fianna Fail Cllr Damien O’Reilly calling on the county council to review the casual trading licence procedures for the county and the listing of designated casual trading areas.
Cllr Fennessy said that market day was a local tradition in the Navan of his childhood. “You couldn’t move for hustle and bustle and people packed into the Fair Green every Friday. It’s a no brainer, really. A revived local market would have a positive impact all over. I welcome the council’s commitment to review local bye-laws and encourage them to do so as soon as possible”.
Fine Gael Cllr Noel French said that casual trading would put people in opposition to established traders who were already paying rates to the county council.
Cllr Sarah Reilly said she was supporting Cllr Damien O'Reilly's motion because things were changing in the world of trading and there was also support from Cllr Sharon Tolan. However, Fianna Fail Cllr Wayne Harding said that people with shop fronts had been the mainstay of the council’s rate base over many years and Cllr Tom Behan expressed a similar view, saying that established businesses were already struggling.
Providing background information to the councillors, council officials said that under the Casual Trading Act 1995 the council had responsibility for casual trading bye-laws and in those bye-laws casual trading could only take place at specified locations.
The casual trading licence gave people the right to sell goods on the public road but trading without a licence was an offence under the law. People looking to engage in trading on private land might be subject to planning laws or HSE regulations. They said that Meath County Council had adopted casual trading bye-laws in 1997 and designated locations within Athboy (two locations), Oldcastle and Laytown Bettystown.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is currently reviewing the casual trading legislation and is examining selection procedures used by local authorities in issuing licences; the issue of charges and fees; and the duration of casual trading licences. The officials said the council was examining these issues with a view to amending the current bye-law but will be seeking further clarification from the Department as to whether its review might impact on the county council’s review.
Cllr Aisling Dempsey said that she had often wondered why we don't have more casual trading pitches particularly in Trim in a town with so much foot traffic and tourism, and assumed it is down to the visual aspect.
"Large vans with noisy generators selling fast food for example would be most unwelcome. However the casual trading business has diversified like so many other sectors and I believe they could be a welcome addition to all towns and villages.
"We could do this any way we wanted - I would be advocating first refusal to our existing businesses. Perhaps we could set up a scheme for them where they share a couple of pitches - any additional could be offered to new businesses wishing to set up. We could limit it to weekends or events, or summer season. We could only allocate pitches to homemade or local products. We could dictate what type of vehicles, signage, and products could be sold. There are a number of ways we could get this scheme to work and be sympathetic to the beautiful areas I am talking about placing them in.
"Let's hear what the public and indeed the existing traders want. I think opinions will be very different to lets say last February pre COVID. The majority of us have not and will not return to our former dining out lives, I presume we will in time, but for now I want to accommodate those of us who would prefer to dine alfresco by providing lots of options," she said.