Referendum on abolition of Clonmel Corporation receives full backing

A motion calling for a referendum to be held to ask the public if they agreed with the decision to abolish Clonmel Borough Council and South Tipperary County Council was backed at a meeting of Clonmel Borough District.
A motion tabled by Cllr Niall Dennehy calling for the referendum to be put to the people to ascertain public support, or lack of support, for the 2014 decision which abolished the Corporation and South Tipperary County Council, was approved by members.
AK 47 AND BIG PHIL
Cllr Dennehy said councillors, that were members of the old Corporation, when dealing with AK 47 (Alan Kelly) and Big Phil (Hogan) when the town was losing Kickham Barracks and St Michael’s, were unaware they were planning to abolish the authorities.
Cllr Dennehy said the abolition of the Corporation and South Tipperary County Council had obviously damaged Clonmel.
He believed the abolition was unconstitutional as the people were never asked at the time and they should be asked now.
Cllr Pat English seconded his motion which called on the authority to write to Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage asking him to consider holding a referendum.
Cllr English said Clonmel was “only getting the crumbs off the table now. Since the abolition Clonmel had suffered years of downgrading and loss of funding.
Cllr Siobhan Ambrose said it was hugely regrettable that Clonmel did not hold on to the status it had prior to abolition.

DOWNGRADING
Mayor Cllr Michael Murphy said there was a downgrading of the Corporation and he fully supported the reinstatement of Clonmel Corporation.
Cllr John Fitzgerald said he agreed that the Corporation should have been retained but reminded his colleagues that decisions were taken as a result of the actions of previous governments which brought the IMF and the Troika to the country.
Mayor Cllr Murphy said it was clear that all members supported the reinstatement of the Corporation and the letter would be sent to the minister.