A local community activist is demanding answers from the local authority over barrier issues at Thurles car park.
Tommy Barrett sent a Freedom of Information request to Tipperary County Council to find out the cost of the now removed barriers at Slievenamon Road carpark.
He received a response that confirmed the barriers cost upwards of €94,000 to install and expressed frustration that, despite their high cost, they are now not in use.
Tommy says the community in Thurles is entitled to be kept in the loop.
“There has been no public statement by the council for us, the taxpayers, to let us know if it’s a long-term thing removing it. Will the barriers go back at all in the future? And, if not, will the council be reimbursed for this money, and where will it be spent? That’s an important point.
“My question was, as well, when you see all of the other carparks in Thurles are pay and display, why spend €94,000 on this? When we ask the council to carry out small tasks like street lights, tree pruning, or drainage, the answer I always get back is, “It’s not in the budget” or “We don’t have the funds”. There was €94,000 to splash out on this, and the system isn’t working. There has been no public statement to let the people know.
“I know the council received lots of complaints from very irate people who missed important appointments and things like that. The council reacted to these complaints and now the barriers have been removed. It has reverted back to pay and display. There has been no public statement. People are entitled to be kept in the picture about this.
“I am hoping that they will come back to me, and I am also hoping that they make a public statement and that the people in Thurles will be able to find out and be kept in the picture for this.”
