Large turnout at county Tipperary information event for vacant property owners

Caption for photo above: Pictured at the information event were from left: Nevan Phelan, Vacant Homes Officer, Tipperary Co. Council; Martin Moore, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Tipperary; Anne Marie Devaney, Acting Senior Planner, Tipperary County Council; Helen Cahill, Staff Officer, Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District; Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District Cathaoirleach Cllr. Kieran Bourke, Tony Musiol, COSTEDC and Carrick-on-Suir Town First Team, Áine McCarthy Town Regeneration Officer with Tipperary Co. Council and Marie O'Gorman, District Administrator Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District and Carrick-on-Suir Town First Team

Carrick-on-Suir Town Team in collaboration with Tipperary County Council hosted a hugely successful information event about supports for vacant property owners at the Carraig Hotel last Thursday, February 8

The event was attended by over 50 people who heard from Tipperary County Council officials on the various schemes and supports available in Carrick on Suir including the popular Vacant Homes Refurbishment Grants scheme.  

Cathaoirleach of Carrick on Suir, Councillor Kieran Bourke, opened the proceedings by welcoming the large attendance at the event.

He commented that: “Every local authority in the country is placing a huge effort on tackling vacancy and dereliction in our towns and Tipperary County Council has taken on a Town Regeneration Officer and Vacant Homes Officer in order to support the delivery of  Government’s Town Centre First Policy and the Vacant Homes Action Plan.”

In 2023 Carrick on Suir formed a new Town Team and Tony Musiol, the Carrick-on-Suir Town Champion, updated those in attendance in relation to work of the new team and their plans to work with Carrick on Suir Municipal District to create a new Town Centre First Plan for the town. He commented that

 “ The new Plan will have a focus on capitalising on the significant investment the town has secured under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund”.

He added that a survey had been undertaken with the community and business sector in order to input into the new Plan and he provided the names of all of the  town team members and advised details are online at www.tipperarycoco.ie/carrickonsuirtowncentrefirst which will be updated as they progress their Plan.

Following these speakers, the information evening continued with presentations from Council Officials based in Housing, Planning, and Building Control who provided information on planning legislation, building control, fire regulations, and grants available around vacant and derelict properties.

As a result, vacant property owners and leaseholders in the town centre are now well informed on the next steps they can take in bringing their properties back into use. 

There was considerable interest  in the presentation on the grants available to vacant property owners with an engaging and informative questions and answers session with the audience.

The Croí Conaithe Grant and Repair and Lease Scheme administered through Tipperary County Council acts as an incentive for bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into residential use.

More information on these schemes is available on the Council’s website  www.tipperarycoco.ie or by emailing vacanthomes@tipperarycoco.ie

Finally, Marie O’Gorman, Carrick on Suir District Administrator, summarised the supports available annually relating to enhancements schemes in the District.

She stated it was an exciting time for Carrick-on-Suir which will see the transformational regeneration projects that have commenced, progress over the coming weeks and months to enhance the town centre making it a more attractive place to live, work and visit.