Tipperary councillor hits out at social media negativity – ‘we need to focus on the positive’
A Tipperary councillor has hit out at the constant negativity on social media, saying that comments online are holding local towns back.
Sinn Féin councillor for Carrick-on-Suir David Dunne made the comments at the June meeting of the Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District, following a briefing from the district administrator about current projects that are ongoing in the town.
Speaking to the Irish Independent after the meeting, Cllr Dunne said that people need to stay positive and see all the good things that are happening, rather than focusing on the negatives.
"All I was asking for is for people to stay positive, and to accept that when we get funding that this is for the benefit of everybody, because what you often get if you put in a statue, like we did of Black Tom, you get ‘what a waste of money, why couldn’t that have been spent on housing?’” Cllr Dunne said.
"We all know that housing is important, but for the money it cost to build the statue of Black Tom, it’s not going to build one house, it’s not even going to refurbish one house, but people don’t seem to put the connection together, and the same if you refurbish the park, it’s for everybody”.
The Sinn Féin councillor was elected as Cathaoirleach of the Carrick-on-Suir MD at the district’s AGM last week, and said that he wanted to use his time as chair to focus on a positive state of mind for the town and its environs.
"I felt on my first day as Cathaoirleach that I would try to get a positive frame of mind going forward that people would roll in behind us and stick with us until we can get all these projects over the line,” Cllr Dunne said.
"I always felt if you were more positive it would help, if you were going to build a factory in Carrick or were coming to invest in Carrick, and all you saw was the negativity, you’d say ‘why would I go there?’
"We have a new shop after opening up here, right, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, it’s a vape shop, but people are going mental over this because it’s a vape shop, but it was a derelict shop, that now it’s open and it’s going to be paying rates,” Cllr Dunne said.
“What we need to do is concentrate on the positive, if this is an empty shop and someone comes in, wish them the best of luck, hope their business succeeds and it’s another premises that has activity and is encouraging footfall,” he added.
Calling for more buy-in from the community, Cllr Dunne said that the local councillors or Tipperary County Council can’t be aware of everything, but that if people have concerns, to raise it with their local representatives, or directly with the council.