Morris welcomes news of Aherlow House sale, honouring of couples’ bookings

Sinn Féin’s Tipperary General Election candidate Cllr. Séamie Morris has said he is delighted to hear that the sale of Aherlow House Hotel has been agreed, that couples who made bookings and paid deposits will have those bookings honoured, and that the jobs there will be saved. Cllr Morris has recently called publicly and repeatedly for Grant Thornton – the receiver of Aherlow House Hotel – to honour bookings taken by the former hotel operator from couples.

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Cllr Morris said: “After an increasing number of couples were in contact with us, we took on-board their concerns, and made representations. We made quite a few enquiries, and were in contact with the office of Grant Thornton in Limerick.”

To hear that the pressure we began applying has yielded a result is wonderful. Sinn Féin pride ourselves that we don’t seek public office for ourselves, but for what we can do for others. On this occasion, that pressure has paid off and we are glad to have been able to help those couples.”

We now know that the hotel has been purchased by Adrian Shanagher. Mr Shanagher is well known to us in Tipperary as he is a Director of Clonmel Park Hotel. He has other well-known interests in the hospitality sector, including Mount Wolseley Hotel in Carlow and Killashee House Hotel in Kildare.”

The difference between Mr Shanagher and the previous operator is immediately obvious. Mr Shanagher has stated that he will honour previous commitments. In addition the hotel will be re-furbished and open again on Wednesday 3rd March next. That’s particularly good news, especially as existing staff now have a job to return to.”

The hotel was owned by Goldman Sachs and the question of couples who have already moved their big day to other hotels has yet to be sorted out by them. I hope that Mr Shanagher, the previous operator and Goldman Sachs will ensure that none of those will lose out. Sinn Féin will continue to demand that all couples are re-imbursed. We are also acutely aware that there are families who have paid deposits for communions, confirmations, and that schools made Debs deposits. Those bookings and deposits should also be honoured.”

I wasn’t the only representative to take action on this. Seamus Healy in Clonmel also made representations. We both share the Right2Change platform. We were the only two to do so and help the couples, but I suspect there’ll be a few others will be out of the woodwork to claim credit for the good news. There’s always at least one who’s as quick as a hare, or as fast as a hound, to get on the bandwagon, but those of us who did the work are happy to have helped.”

That situations like this still arise is further proof that over the last 5 years little has changed in this State. The present Government came to power promising change, yet situations like this still occur. All that’s happened is that more power has been given over to the big guy, while the little guy still suffers.”

The Aherlow House story is an example of vulture capitalism, where businesses are toys, and the little people who depend on those business are little more than collateral damage.”