Mayor To Meet Dunnes Management Within Weeks About Vacant Town Centre Premises

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Mayor Jim Finucane.

TRALEE’S new Mayor, Cllr Jim Finucane, is to meet with Dunnes Stores management within weeks to make a proposal in relation to the vacant premises in Bridge Street.

Mayor Finucane told fellow councillors at the meeting of Tralee Municipal District on Friday, that he has initiated contact with Dunnes Stores and they are open to a meeting.

“I hope to have a meeting with them in the next week or two. The purpose of this meeting is to see if they would lease it to the Council, in conjunction with Kerry ETB and the college, to have some kind of digital hub in the town centre.”

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Speaking about other priorities for the year ahead, Mayor Finucane also said a game-changer for bringing industry to the town would also be a direct flight from Kerry to Schipol Airport in Amsterdam.

He said the feedback he has been getting from companies in Tralee and beyond, was that a direct link to a major hub airport like Schipol would be “a game-changer”.

“It’s one of the issues for these companies, like Fexco and Dairymaster. They talk about access, not alone to here but for people who want to set up industry here and have access to world markets,” he said.

On the issue of industry and employment, he said he wants direct meetings with multinationals to show what Tralee has to offer and how they can do it differently to other places, rather than relying on the IDA.

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Mayor Finucane said another priority was the Tralee Fenit Greenway which he wants to see it come to fruition, especially with an announcement of funding for the project imminent.

He spoke about a well-thought out approach to the housing situation and building communities rather than just building ‘units’.

Among the other issues he mentioned in his address, was the issue of the Town Park in terms of staffing levels and the timing of appointments, to give the facility the respect it deserves.