Forget about visiting Glendalough in your MH

This sent to The OPW today

Please see the discussion on the forum of Motorhome Craic forum/topic.php?t=16173&page=1

Motor Caravans are by EU vehicle category definition in the same category as cars, Category M1.
Will you please explain why they are not treated as such but as Category M2 vehicles in the schedule of parking charges.

We would point out that Category M2 vehicles are commercial vehicles operated on a profit-making basis.
However, motor caravans, like cars, are private passenger vehicles with not more than eight passenger seats and are a private means of transport.

It is wholly unacceptable that motor caravans are charged for parking at the same price as busses on a profit-making venture.

You may or may not be aware that motor caravans are charged the same toll rates as cars throughout Ireland.


Got this acknowledgment

Thank you for your email to the Office of Public Works.
Your query has been forwarded to the relevant section within the OPW for direct reply.
If you do not receive a response within 20 working days, please email this address again for further assistance.

Got this reply yesterday


I am sorry to hear you are not happy about the parking charges at the Visitor Centre Car-park Glendalough.
This National Monument site is one of the more popular tourist attractions for our National and International visitors.
At busy times the parking in the OPW car-park can become congested and dangerous, causing serious traffic management problems. It has been found that visitors who like to take in the Glendalough environs for a day trip, park here for the day, resulting in our visitors to the Monastic site being unable to secure parking. This car-park is not specifically designated for motor caravans nor is it a public car-park.
The intention is that the OPW visitor car-park facilitates visitors who wish to visit the monastic site. The parking fee is refunded at the Centre for visitors intending to visit the monastic site.
Pay car-parking was introduced to manage OPW visitors to the monastic site and to facilitate evacuation of the site and environs in the event of any emergency evacuation.
While understanding the legal classification of vehicles the Office of Public Works is focused on the size of the vehicles that park and on efficient use of its car-park space.

I hope I have clarified the position for you.

To which I replied

Thank you for you reply.
However it is disappointing to note that the discrimination against national and foreign tourists who are travelling by motorhome remains as OPW policy with regard to the provision of parking.
The application of charges relevant to the operators of commercial vehicles (busses) will most undoutedly leave a sour taste and an opinion of being ripped off among motorhome based tourists.
With the widespread use of social media and forums by motorhome users the OPW can look forward to much adverse comment about such charges and the cost/value of visiting Glendalough and any other places where such a parking charge structure exists.
From my experience of widespread touring throughout Europe the OPW have created a unique parking charge menu.