'Bizarre,' local authority in Tipperary defends grant to Credit Union

The allocation of a Carrick-on-Suir Painting & Enhancement Grant to a large credit union has been criticised by a Fianna Fáil councillor who argues the scheme is intended for businesses struggling to pay to improve their premises and not financial institutions.

Cllr Kieran Bourke voiced concern about Carrick-on-Suir Credit Union receiving the Painting & Enhancement Grant for planters outside its Greystone Street premises at Carrick Municipal District’s monthly meeting.

Cllr Bourke said he found the allocation of the grant to the credit union “bizarre” as he knew there were businesses in the town struggling to pay to improve the appearance of their premises.

Under the scheme, the owners of residential and commercial premises in Carrick could avail of a grant up to a maximum of €500 to help pay for their painting and general improvement.

District Administrator Marie Cox explained the council would have favoured another business over the credit union but the local authority struggled to get businesses to come forward for these grants.

She stressed that no other business lost out funding because the credit union secured this grant.

She said some businesses couldn’t get painting or other work done in time to qualify for the grant. They couldn’t get painters or were quoted too high a price.

Ms Cox also noted Carrick-on-Suir Credit Union was a not-for-profit organisation but Cllr Bourke countered that it operated under the same Central Bank rules as the banks.

Carrick Municipal District’s Director of Services Brian Beck echoed Ms Cox’s assertion that it was not the council’s normal practice to give grant support to a financial institution.

But in this case, he said the council believed the planters the credit union wished to spend the grant on would enhance the overall appearance of Greystone Street, which was an entrance to the town centre.

“Our priority is to spend all money we receive in the town. In fairness, to the district administrator there has been a huge amount of work put in trying to spend this money in the town.”

He said the district faced a situation of either giving back the grant money for another district to spend it or allocating it to the credit union to enhance the appearance of this street.

“There will be more money next year. If there is someone you can think of who can benefit from it, let us know,” he told Cllr Bourke.

Labour Cllr Michael ‘Chicken’ Brennan asked if the council had an option to distribute the grant among the other approved applicants and was informed the council could only allocate a maximum of €500 per applicant. They would have change the scheme’s rules to increase the grant.

Fine Gael Cllr Mark Fitzgerald said he could see where Cllr Bourke was coming from but the council officials had made very valid points. He believed the grant should go ahead.

“I know it’s an awkward situation but it’s not putting out any other business,” he said and suggested a policy of excluding financial institutions could apply for future rounds of the scheme.

Cllr Bourke responded that in his opinion the grant scheme was never meant for this type of business. It was intended for businesses struggling to pay to enhance their premises and to pay their rates.

He said the council officials explained their reasons well for allocating the grant to Carrick Credit Union but stressed that going forward he would have a problem supporting financial institutions getting these grants.

Cathaoirleach Cllr David Dunne said if Cllr Bourke was willing to let this grant go forward, the district could look at making it policy that it wouldn’t happen again.

“Anomalies can happen and this looks like an anomoly,” he said. Approval of the grant was then proposed by Cllr Fitzgerald and seconded by Cllr Brennan.