AN SDLP councillor has criticised unionists who voted down his request to see if Euro coins can be accepted in car park ticket machines in his area.
Thomas O'Hanlon, who sits on Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, pointed out that Newry allows drivers to pay for their parking in either sterling or euro coins.
However, a proposal to see if ticket machines in his area could accept euro coins was blocked by unionists at a council meeting on Monday night.
"I am astonished at the small mindedness of this approach - all I asked was that it be investigated and costed," he said.
"As a councillor I can only make a decision when I am presented with the facts, costs and implications of any decision but to throw out the request to only look at the issue is unbelievable."
He said the area had seen a recent increase in shoppers from the Republic due to the fall in value of sterling.
"It was only last month that some unionist councillors were lamenting the impact of Brexit, they were boasting that the car parks were full of cars with southern number-plates, and now they’re sending out a message that your Euro is not welcome in our area," he said.
Ulster Unionist councillor Glen Barr, who objected to Mr O'Hanlon's proposal, could not be contacted for comment on Monday night.
