"If you want more enforcement of parking controls, you need to pay for it."
That was the message delivered to councillors at yesterday's Carrickmacross-Castleblayney MD meeting, in response to concerns about the lack of parking wardens in the area.
At yesterday's meeting, councillors adopted new parking control schemes for the two towns.
The measures include maintaining and introducing two-hour parking limits in areas of the two towns.
However, Cathaoirleach of the MD, PJ O'Hanlon, questioned the adoption of the new scheme and asked if there is truly two-hour parking "if there are no parking wardens there to enforce it".
He asked the MD if the new scheme "should be proposed without knowing if it can be implemented".
MD co-ordinator, Damien Thorton, said there is provision for a traffic warden between Carrickmacross and Castleblayney for "roughly one and a half days a week".
There are three full-time and one part-time wardens for the county and councillor were told they have to "depend on Monaghan MD for availability".
Meanwhile, Director of Services Paul Clifford told the meeting that "if you want more full time wardens, get a stream of income".
He added that pay parking would do this, and that the proceeds from pay parking in Monaghan Town supports the provision of traffic wardens.
Mr Clifford also said there are "plenty of spaces in the towns" and "it's about getting people to park in the right place".
While Councillor Colm Carthy said the situation is "not good enough and needs changed", he suggested that the new measures be approved and then the MD "can deal with traffic wardens later".
The measures were adopted, but Councillor O'Hanlon voiced concern that this would mean that the issue of traffic wardens for the area was left lying idle.
