A Tipperary TD says plans for a Community Hotel in Roscrea are still on track despite the owner of the property putting a for sale sign on the building.
€150,000 had been allocated by Government to carry out a feasibility study on Grants Hotel.
Deputy Jackie Cahill says the building when renovated would form a key part of the revitalisation of the town centre in Roscrea.
On Tipp Today earlier he said as far as he is concerned the For Sale sign on Grants Hotel doesn’t change that.
“I can understand the owner – he wants to get the property sold. It has been on the market for a long number of years. This is the first time a realistic customer has come forward. We’re still there but we have to get the costings right – you know this is public money we’re spending and we have to make sure that we don’t have a fiasco like the Children’s Hospital or anything like that and we know exactly what this is going to cost the taxpayer and that we go in there with a realistic estimate when we go back to our three party leaders to get the commitment that we’ve been given honoured.”
Roscrea based County Councillor Michael Smith says the owner of Grants Hotel has every right to put a For Sale sign on the property.
However he is still hopeful that the building can be purchased by the local authority.
The plans emerged in January in the wake of the closure of Racket Hall Hotel outside the town to the public as it is being used to house asylum seekers.
Councillor Smith has told Tipp FM News that the hotel would be a huge boost to Castle Street and Roscrea town centre.
“There nearly has to be a pause put on the whole proposal now based on his decision and we’ll see what happens because the local authority and the state have shown an interest in it. As a private individual he can decide to do what he wants with his building. We have shown that we want to repurpose it, we want to turn it into something important in the town so hopefully he can come and engage again.”
