The much-awaited Tipperary Town Task Force has begun its work. Ambitious plans will be developed and worked on, including social inclusion, employment, infrastructure (including ridding the town of N24 traffic), a community-friendly and revitalised town centre, education, heritage building restoration and reuse, as well as building tourism.

Following substantial demonstrations of community support for the establishment of a Task Force in late 2018, Damian English TD, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, announced actions to support the revitalisation of Tipperary town in September 2019.

Now, the Task Force has started its work under independent Chairperson, Carmel Fox, who brings a wealth of experience from previous leadership roles in the rural development sector, particularly in Ballyhoura Development.

The Task Force has members representing different sectors, agencies and community organisations and part of its work will be to develop and implement a three-year plan to revitalise the town. There will be further opportunities for stakeholders to engage and participate through consultations and subgroups of the Task Force as the process develops in the coming months.

The Task Force  will have the important benefit of a full-time project manager for the three-year period with funding being provided for the position by Tipperary County Council and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

Advertising for the role has been completed and the selection process is now under way.  A street-front premises has been identified, where the Project Manager and administrative support staff will be located. The office will be a point of contact where members of the community can access information about the work of the Task Force, give feedback and contribute ideas for the revitalisation of the town and hinterland. The scope of the Task Force is centred on Tipperary town, but is expected to be inclusive of the important communities, areas and villages that surround and support the town.

A key aspect of the Task Force’s work will involve community consultation. Independent Chairperson Carmel Fox said “it is essential that the plan that is developed and delivered is the community’s plan. We will be working very hard to harness the ideas and energy of community members to create a plan that can become a national model that can be followed throughout rural Ireland. That is our brief from the Government. We want to make Tipperary town the best small town in Ireland and to provide an example and a model for other towns to follow”.

The Task Force has identified core areas that need to be addressed. These include, employment, infrastructure (including eliminating N24 traffic from the town and creating community-friendly civic spaces), education (including early school interventions and adult education and training), social inclusion (including supports for disadvantaged groups), heritage (including the restoration and reuse of heritage buildings), and tourism. 

Public consultation around each of these aspects of the plan, and more, will take place.  The community consultation will involve a range of methods, including round table consultations, workshops, drop in and surveys. “We know that Tipperary’s community has a great pride in its place and the contribution of the voluntary sector is very evident in the fantastic range of facilities, amenities, clubs and societies that are already in place. We feel strongly that the amazing community spirit in our area will be the defining factor in developing and delivering a truly exemplary and effective plan to put Tipperary back on the map and to lead the way nationally in how to revitalise rural towns”, Carmel Fox said. “If we believe as a community that we can make Tipperary town the best small town in Ireland, then we can do it together.”

A well attended Collaborative Town Centre Health Check Workshop for Tipperary Town was held in the Excel Centre in January. The health check is an initiative developed by Alison Harvey of the Heritage Council which brings together the private, public and civic sectors to establish where the town sits at the moment in terms of its current status and potential, and will deliver a baseline for future planning. The health check results will provide a valuable basis for the work of the Taskforce.

The Task Force will also make applications for Government funding and will have access to various Government departments and agencies to help deliver on the plan.

Carmel Fox said “some parts of the plan will be relatively straightforward and can be achieved in a relatively short timeframe. Others will take longer to get going and to show results. For example interventions to help keep young children in school may not show results for many years, but they are probably more vital than activities that bring quick results. Efforts to grow employment will not be easy, but we are determined to achieve this. The results of our work won’t happen overnight and we as a community have to be in this for the long haul and we have to maintain our determination and resilience to deliver for the current community and future generations. If we believe in what we want to do and work hard together, it will happen.”

Membership of the Taskforce

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