Efforts by local authority to tackle ‘lifeless towns’ in Kerry

The problem of ‘lifeless towns’ in a premier tourism county is to be tackled by a local authority.

Many shops are boarded up in a number of Kerry’s towns and villages.

But the county council has agreed to take a lead in trying to bolster business and “bring life back” to some struggling areas by appointing an economic development officer.

Whole streets are derelict in some cases, a council meeting was told.

South and West Kerry councillor Michael Cahill continued to raise the plight of the flight of business from main streets. He formally requested the setting up of a special council task force to deal with the “sorrowful plight” of closed premises and boarded up properties and the ever increasing rise in ‘For Sale’ and ‘To Let’ signs.

He welcomed a reply by the council executive setting out a programme in which it will take the lead.

Funding opportunities and grant aid for businesses and for improving infrastructure and appearance are likely to be looked at.

A local loyalty card spearheaded by the council is being pushed by the Glenbeigh-based independent councillor.

“Glenbeigh has only one shop now where it once had several,” he said.

However, streets in major towns like Killarney and Tralee are also suffering with closed shops. Cllr Cahill also pointed to the success of private-public-partnerships in places like Killorglin, where Fexco and the county council came together to develop the €32m Library Place which is a thriving centre and which has transformed the historic Ring of Kerry town.

“This private public partnership method could be employed in other towns,” he said.

The councillor said going through towns and villages with closed up signs was depressing the public.

He also urged the council which itself owns property in some of towns to lease out the bottom floors for business and use the top floors for residential accommodation.

“Nearly all our villages are dead — we need to support business and living in them,” he said, before adding rates relief should also be examined.

Clllr Niall Kelleher, meanwhile, a native of Rathmore, had previously highlighted the plight of his Kerry-Cork border village.

The council now plans to appoint an economic development officer who will be central to the project of examining struggling towns.

The council, however, said its efforts on property acquisition would have to be on a case-by-case basis.