Bourke & Dunne oppose Carrick Regeneration Plan

Photo © Tipp FM

The Carrick-on-Suir Regeneration Plan is to go to Part 8 planning by the 6th of December, but the two urban councillors voted against it at a recent meeting.

Councillor Kieran Bourke wanted to put a motion formally suspend the Part 8 until the New Year.

This was so agreement could be reached on things like the plans for Sean Healy Park and the loss of parking in the town.

However, he was told that the Council had a statutory obligation to put the plans through Part 8 by that date.

After a vote to proceed with the plans, which Councillor Bourke and Councillor David Dunne voted again and Councillor Bourke then walked out on the meeting.

He told Tipp FM that the vote was not conducted properly and the plan as it is will not deliver the best results for the town.

“I wasn’t happy with it for a number of reasons, first of all the outcome and the way the vote was carried out and the roll call.

“Under Standing Order number 46, it clearly states that all roll calls should be alphabetically carried out and if that was the case, the two town councillors Bourke being B and Dunne D, would be first to vote.

“But, the first three who were in support of it voted first. Now, it might sound petty and irrelevant, but I think it’s very relevant to this, because had the two town councillors voted first, it would be two no’s.”

Councillor David Dunne joined Councillor Bourke in voting against the plan.

The number of car parking spaces to go into Sean Healy Park was reduced by 50 percent, but Councillor Dunne felt the residents should have had a say on this.

He also had major concerns about the loss of parking in the town centre and how this would affect the businesses there.

Councillor Dunne told Tipp FM that he’s afraid there will be a major knock on effect from the sudden loss of parking on the main street.

He said that there are about 126 jobs on the main street, the equivalent to a small factory and he feared for the loss of shops and jobs.

Councillor Dunne said that for this Regeneration Plan to work, it needs the support of the people, but that this plan does not have that.