Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the concept of town centre first. There are too many town centres that just do not work as they could. Town centres are taken away from people because main traffic arteries run through them, like in Tipperary town. This week, the Minister for Transport again confirmed to me that a bypass of Tipperary town will be considered by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, for prioritisation in this context. In his reply to me, the Minister also noted that a consequence of the bypass would facilitate compact growth and improve road safety. Anything that promotes and allows for the development of town centres is welcome but this compact growth must be appropriately planned for. Tipperary town has a great revitalisation task force, which has been studying in detail the demographics of the town, the different needs of its people, its commercial needs and potential opportunities. It is carrying out great work but the supports and funding needed to bring its plans and vision into reality must accompany that work.

The work being carried out by Tipperary town could also be used as a national showcase of how a strategy to reclaim a town centre can be realised if the funding is provided and balanced regional development is really applied. Another town in my constituency, Roscrea, was chosen for pilot funding under this scheme. Again, that allocation is very welcome but it cannot end there. The needs of towns throughout this country vary but one constant is housing and Roscrea, like any other, has this need.

Are community-centred clubs like boxing or ju-jitsu clubs, which work to give young people a positive way of using their time, being considered? A number are either in desperate need of new accommodation or have fallen behind in their recent rent because of the impact of Covid-19. They need help but fall through the cracks in funding streams. For the clubs looking for accommodation but that cannot seem to qualify, it is very frustrating to see empty buildings, including unused IDA buildings that would be ideal, not being made available to them.

Tipperary’s rail network is underused, with timetables poorly planned. There have been some good murmurings about the additional service on the Limerick to Ballybrophy line. This must be delivered upon but this attitude also needs to be applied to the Limerick Junction-Waterford line. Our towns centres need to be developed but this also involves the use of rail to connect them, where possible, which would take traffic off roads like the N24 and increase regional trade routes. On this, I notice the silence with which we are being met regarding the suspension of funding for the N24-N25 road development. The counties concerned have serious concerns and deserve engagement immediately.

In all, town centre first is a positive concept but only if it is visionary. Many people in the towns concerned offer that vision and they must be listened to and adequately resourced.

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