'Roscrea left on long finger' - calls for the next enhancement plan phase to begin

The local authority has been accused of neglecting Roscrea's development since the completion of Market Square two years ago, while other parts of the town centre are left in need of urgent repairs.

That was the opinion of elected representatives at the monthly meeting of the Municipal Council for the area on Monday, who said Roscrea has been “left on the long finger” awaiting the implementation of the next phase of the enhancement plan for the town centre.

“Main Street is left in a shocking state - the street needs a complete resurfacing” Councillor Michael Smith (FF) told the meeting - asking “where is phase two of the enhancement plan?”

Councillor Smith said he needs, as a public representative, to be able to assure people in Roscrea that the Main Street will receive a complete resurfacing in 2023 and urged executives in the local authority to “move on" from Market Square.

“That's  complete now and it's time to move on and make the next phase happen” he said.
“It feels like Roscrea is being left behind - like Roscrea is put on the long finger”, Cllr. Noel Coonan (FG) said.

The Liberty Square development project in Thurles has advanced at a much greater pace Cllr. Coonan pointed out, and said that Roscrea's Market Square redevelopment was intended to be the first stage in a series of enhancements for Roscrea.

Cllr. Coonan said that local Councillors were given “a hard sell” with the Market Square project and were promised that should any problems arise they will be rectified.

 “I don't see any progress or plan in place and it was put to us that this would be done the following year. Now, two years later and we still haven't moved on and I don't see any progress on the enhancement plan. People are damaging cars on Main Street in Roscrea trying to park”, Cllr. Coonan said.

Director of Services, Eamonn Lonergan, strongly disagreed with Cllrs. Coonan and Smith and said that Roscrea has the distinction of being the first town in the county to receive a Town First Masterplan and Regeneration Officer.

This community-led  Masterplan will have a transformative effect on Roscrea's future development, the Director said and will become the new model for more streamlined accessibility to funding.

“Roscrea  will soon be in a fantastic position to access funding when the Masterplan is in place”, Mr. Lonergan said, adding that the town needs a much more comprehensive program of works than a resurfacing of Main Street.

Alignment, road camber, drainage, parking and the streetscape as a whole will be redeveloped in the town centre, Mr. Lonergan said - adding that a holistic approach to creating a welcoming town centre, designed with community input from the people who live and work there, is the aim of the Masterplan approach.

“The Town First Masterplan, driven by a Town Team made up by the community supported by a regeneration officer, will give us access to funding and that is the new way of getting funding”, Mr Lonergan said.

Cllr. Coonan said he wants an update report on progress made specifically in Roscrea for next month's meeting, which was seconded by Cllr. Smith and will be placed on the agenda.