Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)

I ask the Minister to act as an honest broker between Tipperary County Council and Mr. Price in Tipperary town. Enforcement proceedings are being taken to hunt the retailer Mr. Price out of the town, which is on its knees. Mr. Price is a blended retailer selling a mix of convenience, comparison and bulky goods and has 65 stores nationwide in town centres and shopping centres within its portfolio. Mr. Price boasts the expertise and retail knowledge to transform Tipperary retail park into a thriving edge-of-town comparison centre. We need that badly in Tipperary town. We have nothing and have got nothing over the decades. It beggars belief that planning enforcement is trying to hunt Mr. Price out of that area. It tried to get a property in the town, a property that is closed down, with a "for sale" sign on it, although it is not for sale, that is, the old Supervalu. Will the Minister intervene, ask for common sense and try to work with the company? We need these valuable 12 jobs and the valuable asset in the retail park.

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