Finance Minister accepts that dereliction in Tipperary's largest town is 'very acute'

Schemes that had been put in place to deal with dereliction are not working in the way that the government wants in Clonmel.

This was stated by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe during a visit to Clonmel today.

“We have a number of grants and schemes in place to deal with dereliction that I have seen working in other parts of the country. But it’s very clear to me, and Deputy Michael Murphy has highlighted it, that as we walk around Clonmel the issue of dereliction continues to be very acute, and continues to be a real challenge for the local community,” the Minister stated.

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The Minister was brought by Deputy Murphy to view at first hand the extent of the dereliction in what Deputy Murphy says is “the prime retail area” of Clonmel, including Market Place.

Minister Donohoe stated, “the different issues that we need to look at are firstly the different grant schemes that we have in place; are they designed in a way that allows them to be drawn down. They are being drawn down elsewhere, but for different reasons it’s not working in the way we would want here in Clonmel.

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“And secondly, what are the laws and regulations that we have in place regarding the use of commercial property, and how we can convert derelict property into property that businesses are in, that people are living in, and this is something that we will continue to look at in this government.

“I can see us making progress elsewhere, but we’re clearly not making the progress that we want to when I look here in Clonmel”.

He went on to say that the URDF (Urban Regeneration and Development Fund) is a fund that had been drawn down on many different occasions in recent years, and had been funding important public realm projects across the country. 

“And one of the things that I want to look at, in conjunction with Deputy Murphy, is how this scheme is working and can it deliver more for communities like Clonmel. 

“It is working in delivering public realm projects elsewhere. I can see the benefits of it in other towns and smaller cities, and there could be some practice that may be specific here to Clonmel. But given the strength of the local community and the strength of the economy here in Tipperary, I really want to see that translated into a better urban and retail core for Clonmel than you have at the moment”.

Minister Donohoe was in Clonmel to attend the opening of the rebranded Sherry FitzGerald Pollard FitzGerald office. The office team is led by local Fine Gael councillor John FitzGerald.