Abandoned Puckane plan welcomed
The recent news that the plans by Double Property Group for the repurposing of the thatched holiday cottages in Puckane village into a permanent asylum seeker accommodation centre had been abandoned has been welcomed by the Puckane Community Group and the local community.
In a statement the group said: “There is understandably a huge sense of relief locally with the decision; our concerns have been listened to and indeed were taken on board by the Minister as important criteria for future site selection. The tourism status of the village is safe for now, but we remain vigilant as a community to protect the villages’ number one tourism asset.
“The Puckane Community Group as a representative group for the local community of Puckane and the locality including the Tidy Towns committee, Puckane Development Association, local sporting organisations, local schools, and local businesses, would like to thank everyone for their support, and particularly all of our local councillors, who also questioned the suitability and sustainability of such a project.
“The Group would also like to acknowledge and thank Councillor Joe Hanigan for chairing the public meeting on October 3 that galvanised a local community in action and for all his hard work behind the scenes. The Group would also like to acknowledge the offer from Jackie Cahill TD that he was prepared to ask a parliamentary question in Dáil.
“The Group would equally like to thank Alan Kelly, TD for engaging with the Minister and the Department in highlighting local community concerns and seeking answers about the selection criteria for asylum seeker accommodation centres during the Public Accounts Committee hearing on October 27. This line of questioning certainly brought Puckane to the attention of the Department officials.
“As a representative group the Puckane Community Group is committed to the sustainable development of Puckane Village and the locality aligned with the Tipperary County Development Plan and with our Puckane Village Design Statement. As a community, we continue to welcome and support diversity and inclusion while also being cognisant of local needs and available resources.”