‘This is two fingers to the people of Nenagh’ said Cllr Seamus Morris

Nenagh Municipal District Council has heard from the Department of Defence that they intend to ‘dispose of’ the Nenagh military barracks once the legal matters are resolved.

They also said they would not meet with the council unless they were willing to acquire the site.

The letter was met with anger and condemnation by councillors who called it ‘disappointing’ and ‘disrespectful.’

Cllr Seamie Morris said the answer was ‘two fingers to the people of Nenagh.’

He said the department has a responsibility to maintain the site, which they have not been doing.

Cllr Morris proposed that the council reply demanding a meeting and said that he would be willing to go to Dublin himself.

Cathaoirleach of Nenagh municipal district Michael O’Meara said he agreed with Cllr Morris.

He called the department’s response ‘extremely disappointing.’

Cllr O’Meara also said it was not the council’s intention to prejudice legal matters and that the ownership of the building had not yet been determined.

However, he said the barracks is a protected structure, and he would like to see it preserved.

“The building is in Nenagh, and it should be for the people of Nenagh,” said Cllr O’Meara.

Previously, the Department of Defence had invited the councillors to put forward their concerns in writing.

However, the response stated the department would not meet the council.

Cllr O’Meara said he felt the department was ‘backing out’ and leading them ‘up the garden path’.

Senior Executive Officer Rosemary Joyce clarified that no promise of a meeting had ever been made.

The topic of the barracks was raised at the July 2021 sitting of the Nenagh municipal district council.

The meeting minutes show a discussion on whether the council were in a position to acquire the building.

The council were told the structure was too much of a liability, and it may not be possible to preserve the building.

Cllr Morris also raised concerns about the condition and maintenance of the building.

At this month’s meeting, the council decided to write back to the department of defence, expressing their disappointment and asking them to reconsider their decision not to meet with the councillors.

Nenagh Court hears woman who failed to return hire car was located in Rearcross

Tipperary rail campaigners see some hope coming down the track for Nenagh service

Tipperary County Council Library Service launch new online system