Leahy comes under fire for 'Limerick families' claim but vows not to be silenced
A councillor has defended his right to raise the alarm over a possible re-generation programme of Limerick families to vacant houses in Tipperary town.
Cllr. Denis Leahy, who last week raised fears that up to forty Limerick families could take up residence in An Duiche housing estate in the town, came under fire this week from political colleagues for raising the issue.
The independent councillor responded to the criticism by stating that he would not be silenced by anybody and had no regrets about raising an issue in the forum he was elected to on behalf of the people he represented.
This week Cllr. Leahy’s decision to speak out on the re-generation issue was critiscised by members of South Tipperary Council and Cllr. Larry Creamer of Tipperary Town Council.
Cllr. Creamer, without naming Cllr. Leahy, said in a statement ‘that untrue, unfounded and unchecked’ rumours related to Tipperary town should never again appear in the media unless proven to have some basis of truth in them ‘no matter how much publicity an individual or individuals may try to gain from it personally and /or politically’.
Responding to Cllr. Creamer’s comments, Cllr. Leahy said nobody would prevent him from speaking out on an issue that people were concerned about.
“I said what others were afraid to say. Cllr. Creamer went for cover at the same meeting by going off the record in his comments because he lived there. Nobody is going to silence me. I am here to tell people what is happening,” he insisted.
Cllr. Leahy said that he had received a lot of phone calls leading up to last week’s meeting of Tipperary Town Council where he raised the issue.
“People rang me, they rang Cllr. Creamer as well. People were worried that a lot of families from Limerick would be moved to An Duiche. I only asked the manager to check it out, that is all I did and I did it in the forum I was elected to,” said Cllr. Leahy.
“Re-generation has happened nine miles out the road in Emly. It happened because people did not stand up to it in time. I topped the poll in the last two elections, not because I am sitting idly by, but because I am prepared to ask the relevant questions when they should be asked,” he said.
The independent councillor said he would have raised the issue regardless of whatever amount of publicity it generated, none or otherwise, because people had raised concerns with him.
“I asked the manager to check it out. Since the meeting I have had people ringing me, calling to my door saying well done and they were delighted that somebody was prepared to say something,” said Cllr. Leahy.
At the meeting Cllr. Leahy said that Tipperary Town did not want the social problems of Moyross, Southill or Ballinacurragh Weston ‘dumped in our backyard”
He asked the town manager to check out the matter.
Following the meeting, the manager Clare Curley, said she had checked the matter with Limerick City Council and was told that “Limerick City Council had no authority to step outside their own area when it came to housing matters,”
This week the matter was raised by Cllr. Creamer and by members of South Tipperary County Council.
Cllr. Creamer said the re-generation issue had received unnecessary and negative publicity. He said there was 'absolutely no basis' to the rumours .
He said that the town manager was told that no such plans existed and that should have been the end of it.
"While all of us must be forever vigilant to any moves which might affect this town and its inhabitants, we should also be very mindful of the effects that negative and untrue stories have on estates like ours and the properties therein," said Cllr. Creamer.
At Monday's meeting of South Tipperary County Council, the issue was raised in the absence of Cllr. Leahy.
Cllr. Michael Fitzgerald said the comments by Denis Leahy in 'The Nationalist' had done "untold damage" to the estates in the county. A lot of people had been in contact with him about it. He said it had "cast aspersions" on all estates.
"We are told it is all based on rumour. It's doing a terrible amount of damage to people living in these estates and auctioneers. If someone is prepared to say they heard a rumour then they should be prepared to say who they heard it from."
He asked Director of Services Clare Curley to make a "strong statement" to clear up the matter.
Cllr. Joe Donovan said he received a lot of calls about the matter. There are a lot of idle houses, he said, and he doesn't think too many people would be wanting to rent or buy. Once any kind of rumour at all starts "nothing can catch up to it."
Cllr. Jack Crowe said developers had a right to have discussions with any other council. "I know a developer in financial difficulty who doesn't give two hoots, he will deal with anybody."
Cllr Mary Hannah Hourigan said she spoke to an auctioneer who said a lot of people were ringing "to get out of there."
Chairman Liam Ahern said he was "flabbergasted" that any councillor would do that and added that he was "terribly disappointed."
Director of Services Clare Curley said the rumour came up as an issue at Tipperary Town Council last Monday night (January 25). It comes up periodically throughout the county and is always unfounded.
Those houses are not local authority, they are private and the county council has no interest in purchasing them.
The morning after the Tipperary Town Council meeting she called the Director of Housing for Limerick city and he agreed that this was "not happening and wouldn't be happening." He included all of county Tipperary in that. Following this Ms Curley rang all nine Tipperary Town Councillors to update them.
Limerick city has no authority in Tipperary, she stressed.
In terms of estate management, why would Limerick City Council want to buy houses so far from their area, she asked.
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