O'Brien wants 'hands on' approach for Tullamore town

Independent Councillor Sean O'Brien has called on Offaly County Council to be more active in relation to the many issues in Tullamore town, especially dereliction and town centre development.

"I will be asking the newly-elected council to take a more hands on approach to the many serious issues facing Tullamore town centre. Tullamore is falling behind other Midland towns such as Portlaoise, Mullingar and Athlone,” he said.

“The council must set out a plan which will help to restore Tullamore town centre to its previous position as a thriving retail area. Many local residents now have to travel to other towns to do some of their shopping as specific items are not for sale here, people are going to other Midland towns and even to Newbridge and Dublin.

“Too many planning decisions are going against town centre developments and while I respect the independence of the planning office we simply have to find a way to encourage and support investment in our town,” Cllr O'Brien. He also called on the council to take stronger action on derelict buildings inm Tullamore. And he also urged the local authority to take a more active role in improving the appearance of Tullamore.

“The Tullamore Tidy Towns group do fantastic work but they are just volunteers and their resources are limited.”