'Door not fully closed' to Offaly Penneys store, but no plans yet

By Rebekah O'Reilly

The 'door not fully closed' for a Penneys store to open in Offaly, but there are no plans by the much-loved Irish retailer to come to the faithful county just yet, TD for Offaly Tony McCormack has been told.

The Fianna Fáil politician met with Ferbane native and Head of Penneys Ireland Fintan Costello for what he called a 'very positive' meeting to discuss supports for high street business in the county.

"Primark is a real Irish success story," he said. "As Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for SMEs and Retail, we had a wide-ranging discussion on how we can better support high street shopping, the impact rising crime is having on the retail sector, and practical solutions to help businesses and shoppers feel safe and supported."

While there are no immediate plans for the opening of a Penneys store in Offaly, the cards are not totally off the table.

"Of course, I also took the opportunity to ask about the possibility of bringing a Penneys to Offaly," Deputy McCormack said.

"While it’s not in their plans right now, the door isn’t fully closed, never say never!"

McCormack expressed his thanks to Fintan for the constructive engagement and for his continued commitment to Irish retail.

"I’ll keep working to ensure towns and businesses across Ireland get the support they deserve," he added.