LIVE: Tipperary residents object to new McDonald's drive-thru restaurant in busy town
The objections were based on 'health grounds'
More than 20 objections have been lodged against a new drive-thru McDonald's in Thurles.
McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Ltd has lodged plans for a new drive-thru restaurant on the Slievenamon Road and Thurles Relief Road as part of its planned expansion of more than 200 restaurants across Ireland and the UK.
Locals in Thurles are objecting the plans due to health grounds, with some worrying it will add to the ever growing obesity problem in the country.
Ronan Spain, of Carraig Donn, Clongour, Thurles, told the council in his submission:
"As a father of two young children, I object to the development of a fast-food restaurant on health grounds, particularly as we are in the midst of an obesity crises in this country, where one in five children aged five is obese according to a study referenced on the HSE website on October 10, 2024."
Several other objections were made to Thurles County Council citing the new plans are "of no help at all in our efforts to promote healthier lifestyles".
A spokeswoman for McDonald's said the company was excited to open the new restaurant in Thurles which would bring new jobs and "significant investment to the local area".
When asked about the objections based around health grounds she said: "Our customers are at the heart of every choice we make which is why we've been providing nutritional information on our menu for over 30 years.
"We continue to evolve our menu to ensure our customers can make informed decisions, with 54% of our menu now classified as non-HFSS (not high in fat, salt or sugar) and 89% of our items in our core menu containing under 500 calories.
"As a business, McDonald's prides itself on being a good neighbour in the communities in which it operates, and we look forward to continuing to work with the council and local residents to mitigate any concerns raised."