Tipperary Chamber addresses pre-Budget committee
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18.1% of shops are vacant in Clonmel, 14.7% in Thurles, and 14.4% in Nenagh
Michelle Aylward, the chief executive of County Tipperary Chamber, took to the Dáil last week to make a pre-budget submission on behalf of the chamber and make the case for further investment in the county.
Pointing out that Tipperary has a population of 182,900, with 76,031 holding jobs in the county and an average salary of €30,654: “that puts us fifth out of all 26 counties in Ireland".
"People spent €1.4 billion on cards here in the last year, and the county paid €747 million in tax in 2024. Companies backed by the state agencies employ 12,487 people here, sell €1.9 billion worth of goods abroad, and spend €121 million on research, most of that in medical devices and food.
"These numbers prove Tipperary already pulls its weight for Ireland. And they show how much more we could do if the Government invested here. Our population grew by 1.7 per cent last year. We have all kinds of businesses here: medical devices, food, chemicals, engineering and construction.
"Nearly half the jobs in our agency-backed companies are in medical devices and food. These are not just local jobs. They are part of Ireland's supply chain, so they support jobs in other counties too.
“This is why investing in places like Tipperary pays off more than once. It grows Irish-owned businesses, takes pressure off the cities, and gives the whole country room to grow. Better roads, healthier towns and stronger small businesses would not just help people here. They would boost exports, tax money, jobs, spending and resilience right across the Southern Region and the country”.
Ms Aylward make a specific case for investment in the N24 (connecting Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford) and the N62 Thurles bypass, demanding ‘clear dates’ and funding for design work. She also drew attention to the “real problem” of empty shops: “18.1% of shops are vacant in Clonmel, 14.7% in Thurles, and 14.4% in Nenagh. We need continued Town Centre First funding”, easier access to the Living Over the Shop grant, and investment in our streets, transport, and services”.
"Tipperary has shown that rural Ireland can deliver high incomes, strong exports, new ideas and real tax revenue. The right investment will let us do even more. A stronger Tipperary means stronger supply chains, a stronger region, and a stronger Ireland”.