Almost €14.5m regeneration funding is a 'game changer' for Carrick-on-Suir

The €14.39m Rural Regeneration Funding announced for Carrick-on-Suir as part of the €30.818m allocated for three Tipperary towns, has been welcomed by local TDs and councillors.

Carrick-on-Suir's regeneration plan – ‘A Journey from the Suir Blueway to the Ormond Castle Quarter – received the largest RRDF allocation of the three Tipperary towns from the Department of Rural & Community Development.

Cahir is receiving €11.91m to assist with activating the Cahir Town Centre Regeneration Strategy while Roscrea is receiving €4.5m for the regeneration of Gantly Street towards an Age Friendly Neighbourhood for Roscrea.

Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Cahill said the funding for Carrick-on-Suir will be invested in a very large scale, ambitious town development project with a number of elements: The full development of the public realm on Main Street, Sean Kelly Square, Ball Alley Street and Chapel Street, with enhanced parking away from the street, active travel, way-finding and urban drainage. 

He said the RRDF funding will also be invested in a new enterprise and digital hub in the town's old Post Office building that has been empty for years; the creation of an arrival point for the Suir Blueway at Sean Healy Park, linking the site to the town centre and to the proposed new greenway, which will link the blueway and Waterford Greenway. It will also be spent on a public realm upgrade of Castle Street and for Ormond Castle Park to re-purpose as an Amenity and Biodiversity Park.

“The project will deliver revitalisation to the town, becoming a vibrant commercial centre and destination in its own right, whilst building synergies with the Suir Blueway Tipperary and the historic Ormond Castle Quarter and enhancing its strategic location in the south-east region as vibrant town to live and work,” he said.

Carrick-on-Suir Cllr David Dunne, who is Cathaoirleach of Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District, and fellow Carrick-on-Suir Cllr Kieran Bourke are delighted with the funding allocation for their hometown.

They have paid tribute to council officials, particularly Carrick MD Director of Services Brian Beck, for their work in developing the regeneration plan for the town and in securing the funding.

Cllr Dunne of Sinn Féin said he was “overjoyed” at this “unbelievable” news, which he described as “complete game changer for Carrick-on-Suir”

Cllr Bourke declared he was “over the moon” and “thrilled” at the funding allocation and described it as a “huge positive” for Carrick-on-Suir.

He pointed out that he spoke to Mr Beck about the concerns traders on Main Street have with the amount of car parking spaces that will be removed from the street under the regeneration scheme. Mr Beck told him he will be looking at ways to deal with their concerns.

The two Carrick-on-Suir councillors pointed out that the €14.39m RRDF funding allocated for their hometown was in addition to the Active Travel scheme planned to improve pedestrian and cycle links between Carrick's Railway Station and the town centre, the Active Travel Scheme proposed for Carrickbeg, the upgrade of the N24 in the town currently underway, and plans to build a new Gaelscoil on the grounds of the old St Joseph's College. 

Independent TD Michael Lowry has also welcomed the €30.8m RRDF funding allocated to Carrick-on-Suir, Cahir and Roscrea and pointed out that Tipperary County Council has received the second largest allocation of funding in the country for RRDF projects.

Read more information and reaction about the €14.39m RRDF funding announced for Carrick-on-Suir in next week's edition of The Nationalist that will in local shops on Wednesday, November 15.