Dublin Corporation officials are proposing to exempt churchgoers from a new charge for parking in Dublin city on Sundays.
The corporation has accepted the concerns of several religious organisations that attendances could fall significantly if worshippers were forced to pay the £1-an-hour charge.
The levy is designed to improve access to car-parking spaces in the main shopping areas of the city.
Mr Owen Keegan, the corporation's director of traffic, said the charge should only apply to cars parked between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. He said this should address the concerns of churchgoers and allow them to avoid paying the levy.
He said Sunday afternoon was now one of the busiest retail periods in the week and there was considerable demand for on-street parking. Under his plan - to be voted on at a meeting of Dublin City Council on November 6th - only residents with permits will be able to avoid the charge.
If the council approves the plan, the charges are likely to operate from February 1st next year.
This week Mr Keegan drew up proposals for the new scheme. If passed by the council, it will cover cars parked between Parnell Square in the north to St Stephen's Green in the south. The zone will also run along the river from Ormond/Wood Quay to Eden/Burgh Quay.
Mr Keegan said the new levy would improve the availability of on-street parking for shoppers.
Apart from representations from church groups - including the Dublin Council of Churches - several artists have also contacted the corporation about the levy proposal.
They claim it could affect the turnout for their weekly painting exhibition at Merrion Square in the south of the city centre. However, Mr Keegan said Merrion Square was not included in the plan.
The Automobile Association favours the plan, so long as it only applies to prime shopping areas in the city. The Dublin Chamber of Commerce and the Dublin City Centre Business Association have not raised any objections. However, Mr Keegan, said there had been "significant opposition" to it from the public.
The plan includes rules governing the allocation of parking permits for residents. For example, anyone renting a property will only be given a permit if the property is registered with the Department of the Environment. Such registration has been strongly resisted in the past by some landlords.