In a statement this morning Independent Tipperary TD, Mr Michael Lowry has confirmed details in relation to the meeting with An Post and their proposed decision to vacate Liberty Square, Thurles, in favour of new offices at Thurles Shopping Centre.
Mr Lowry stated “After initiating discussions with An Post, I can confirm that a meeting will take place, on Thursday next April 11th, in Committee Rooms Dail Eireann at 12.00 noon. The delegation will comprise of five (5) Tipperary TD’s plus 2 Fine Gael General Election Candidates.”
Deputy Lowry continued, “Further to this, An Post have now accepted my request on behalf of six (6) members of the “Save the Square” Action Committee and all Elected Councillors for the Thurles Area”.
“This meeting now affords the opportunity to all representatives, to put forward various strands of the argument against An Post’s regretted decision. It will also afford us the opportunity to put direct questions to the CEO of An Post and his Senior Officials who are responsible for developing policy and implementing such decisions. Hard questions, in particular can now be put forward with regard to business logic and to hear how they underpin and substantiate this decision, on financial and social grounds”, Deputy Lowry concluded.
Delighted that Deputy Michael Lowry, T.D. has secured ths meeting. However, I do believe that a smaller deputation would prove more effective. Based on your information it would appear that up to 20 people will now attend. This is way too many. However, best of luck on the meeting.
The CEO of An Post will meet with FIVE publicly elected Tipperary TD’s, TWO Fine Gael general election candidates, [Latter who are only interested in attaining a substantial salary plus expenses and eventually that much sought after and coveted State Pension.] Add four local councillors and six members from “Save Our Square Action Committee”, the former (Council) who have drummed up this S.O.S. scenario to generate Local Election credits, are fully responsible for much of this problem through supporting parking charges.
So, total appears to be 17 in number. This, if logic ruled, should be the priority of our politicians only to sort out. But if they fail well they can blame each other.
“A TALE OF TWO TOWNS” [With apologies to Charles Dickens and his “Tale of Two Cities”.]
Instead, what has now happened is that Thurles Town, for possibly the first time in its history, is now a divided town. Remember the opening words of Dickens – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way …”
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:
(1) People seem to forget that for the most part, the loss of footfall refers to just ONE day each week. It is here now that financial institutions could assist those in receipt of pensions & social welfare recipients, by encouraging customers to transfer their payments away from An Post. Footfall could be retained on Liberty Square, but alas, the financial institutions see customers as a being a nuisance when entering their premises and government rules and regulations make it difficult to even open a new bank account any more.
(2) The solution I favour most however is that we all as residents of Thurles save our shoe leather and halt paying parking charges, before more businesses move out of Thurles town centre.
Tipperary Co. Council built six social houses near Cabragh at a cost of some €370 thousand Euro each. We saw today the Peter McVerry Trust acquiring 25 social houses for €5m through a generous donation made by the Dublin Capuchin Day Centre. Do the sums; €5 million divided by 25 = €2 hundred thousand Euro each, purchased in Dublin and Kildare. It is my opinion that Tipperary Co. Council are burning taxpayers money.