Missing Tipperary Man

A public appeal has been launched to help trace a 24-year-old Tipperary man, missing from his home.

Mr Christopher Cronin, aged 24, was last seen near the Gashouse Bridge in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, in the early hours of the 2nd of January last.

Mr Cronin is said to be 1.85m (6’1″) in height, of thin build, with tight brown hair and is understood to be wearing a black jumper and navy jeans, at the time of his disappearance.

Anyone who has any knowledge of Mr Cronin’s whereabouts or other information, is asked to contact the Gardaí Tel: 052-6177640 or any Garda Station.

Christmas trees will start coming down in homes for another year, in most houses most likely beginning on Monday morning next.
For those of you who purchased a real tree this year, same are being accepted free of charge, at the following centres in County Tipperary:-

North Tipperary:
Christmas Trees can be dropped off for recycling from 6th January to 28th January, at the following locations in North Tipperary.
Roscrea: Civic Amenity Centre during normal opening hours.
Templemore: Town Park, in specified area.
Thurles: Parnell Street Car Park, in a specified area.
Nenagh: Recycling Centre, during normal opening hours.
Ballaghveny: Civic Amenity site, during normal opening hours.

South Tipperary:
Christmas Trees can be dropped off for recycling from 6th January to 14th January at the following locations in South Tipperary.
Clonmel: Recycling Centre Carrigeen.
Cashel: Waller’s- Lot Recycling Centre.
Donohill: Donohill Landfill & Civic Amenity Centre.
Carrick- on- Suir: Fair Green Car Park.

Of course if you live in Thurles and purchased a new fridge over Xmas in Dublin’s IKEA, despite the compulsory recycling tax you paid on purchase of same, there is no place in Thurles to recycle your old unit. Annually, because of this, roadside dumping is inevitable and taxpayers money is being wasted, if and when County Council workers are forced to clean up.

Maybe Minister Phil Hogan could organize something here in conjunction with his controversial €100 Household Charge. Note Mr Hogan everywhere else in Europe has proper recycling centres provided, and we are aware how you like to compare us with the rest of Europe, especially when a household charge is in question. Why not provide us with at least some services for our money?

Closure Of Ballybrophy Rail Link Rumoured

Iarnród Éireann is expected, shortly, to seek formal permission to close their services on the Limerick to Ballybrophy Rail line, well that is according to supporters of this transport route.

Rumours abound today, that Iarnród Éireann has informed the Department of Transport that it it considering the closure of this rail line, which also serves as a commuter service between Nenagh Co Tipperary and County Limerick. The closure is expected to be sought, due to unsustainable low passenger numbers.

Thurles.Info is aware that the National Transport Authority Board were informed, towards the middle of last year, that Iarnród Éireann had informed the Minister for Transport of their intention to seek closure of some of their less used rail lines. A spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann refused to either confirm or deny that they have any proposals to suspend this services, stating that the profitability of all transport routes are regularly under review.

Nenagh Rail Partnership Group yesterday said it was concerned about the railway lines long term future. Currently people from Nenagh are driving to Thurles, daily, to catch trains to Dublin, and Iarnród Éireann claim that operating a service to Nenagh is often a waste of fuel, admitting that their scheduled services between Limerick and Nenagh are often cancelled, with the train returning to Colbert Station in Limerick, due to being empty of all passengers, having reached stations at Castleconnell and Birdhill. Official figures show that a total of only 14,000 people travelled on this line between January and August 2011, a daily average of just 55 passengers

The Government has also confirmed that very necessary austerity measures are likely to result in high reductions to public transport services over the coming years, and the Iarnród Éireann group is to have its annual subvention cut by €21m next year, from €263m to €242m, with further cuts expected in 2013 and 2014.

Nenagh Rail Partnership Group are justifiable worried about the continuation of this rail services between Limerick and Ballybrophy and admit that the opening the the new M7 motorway had presented very strong competition for all rail commuters, however the latter now claim that the line’s future is hugely important to developing much needed tourism in this area and should continue to be financed from the public purse.

North Tipp Labour TD Mr Allen Kelly, according to The Irish Independent Newspaper dated September 26th 2011, put “considerable pressure” on Iarnrod Eireann for a train to bring more than 150 north Tipperary fans from here, his constituency, to Dublin for the All-Ireland senior hurling final on September 4th, which Kilkenny won 2-17 to 1-16 over Tipperary. The junior Minister with responsibility for Public Transport, Tourism & Sport, then refused to respond to the report.

Rumours, if confirmed, will be seen as yet another attack on residents of rural Ireland.

Last year the National Transport Authority approved Iarnród Éireann’s decision to cease services on the Waterford-Rosslare route on similar grounds.

Mary & Martin McAleese Win Tipperary Peace Award

The United Nations invites the world to celebrate “One Day In Peace” on the first day of every calendar year and to reflect on our own life and the life of the world around us. It therefore comes as no surprise that the Tipperary Peace Convention should annually announce the recipients of the Tipperary Peace Prize on this World Day of Peace.

This winners of the 2011 Tipperary Peace Prize, to be awarded this year, goes jointly and deservedly to Ireland’s former President Mrs Mary McAleese and her husband, current Senator Mr Martin McAleese, who will both receive the 2011 Tipperary International Peace Award, at a date as yet to be announced.

The Tipperary Peace Convention paid tribute to the work carried out by Mr and Mrs McAleese in both Northern Ireland and the Republic, as well as their efforts and success in forging stronger ties with Great Britain. Mrs McAleese, who served for 14 years as President, made history in May 2011, when she played host to Queen Elizabeth II, the first British monarch to visit Ireland since Independent.

A spokesperson for the convention stated: “In view of the work carried out by Mary and Martin McAleese in promoting peace and reconciliation, Tipperary Peace Convention is delighted to announce that they are the joint recipients of the 2011 Tipperary International Peace Award. The theme of Mary McAleese’s presidency was Building Bridges and for many people, the highlight of her two terms as President was the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland in May 2011, which undoubtedly was the culmination of President McAleese’s long and dedicated work for reconciliation. Along with her work for reconciliation she also used her time in office to address issues concerning justice, social equality, social inclusion and anti-sectarianism and her Presidency has been a healing one, for which this, and future generations, will be eternally grateful. Mr McAleese carried out much work within Loyalist Communities in Northern Ireland and initiated a series of meetings with senior paramilitary leaders in an effort to negotiate peace.“

Past recipients of this peace prize include former South African president Nelson Mandela, Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof, former US president Bill Clinton and Afghan human rights activist, Dr Sima Samar.

The McAleeses were selected from a short list of nominees, including Queen Nour of Jordan and former US president Jimmy Carter.

Controversial €100 Household Charge Tax

In early February every home in the country is to receive a leaflet to ensure that everyone is aware of Minister Phil Hogan’s controversial €100 Household Charge, which comes into effect from next month.

It has not yet been decided if the paper work for paying the charge will be included, but leaflets must be delivered over a 10-day period and the controversial tax must be paid by March 31st.

The government can not as yet put a cost on how much the delivery of these leaflets will cost, since it had just been offered to tender, but it seems likely that here in Ireland, An Post are the only operation with the logistical capacity to deliver same, nationwide. However under EU rules all public contracts,which are above a certain pricing threshold, and which go to tender, must be open to all delivery companies operating across Europe.

Who is exempt from the €100 Household Charge?

Truth is no one really knows as yet. However it would appear that those who would be a ‘force for most resistance,‘ to this charge, have been carefully factored out. People in ghost estates and those on mortgage interest supplement will get a waiver from the tax, while those living in council estates will be exempt.

Fines for those who won’t pay can be deducted from their wages or Social Welfare payments, as well as through Revenue and Irelands newest tax collector the ESB. While the latter two are having difficulty collecting their own just payments, we are informed that refusal to pay could result in a court appearance, a fine of €2,500 and or a term in jail. However latter is highly unlikely, since prison space in Ireland is currently at a premium for even major criminals.

This controversial €100 household charge is expected to raise some €160m in the coming year and will eventually be replaced with a property tax. Regarding the latter, the Government has decided to convene an expert group in early January to consider the issue. So the wealthy will again convene to decide on taxes which will affect the wealthy. Maybe they could also discuss giving up their Children’s Allowance entitlements when they eventually meet up.

However, opponents of this ‘Household Charge,’ live under the elusion that this latter decision now demonstrates that their campaign of pressure todate, against this unjust tax, is actually working.

Landlords have said they will pass on the €100 household charge to their tenants, so expect a massive Grecian style demonstration of ‘people power,‘ in the coming months folks, when people decide they have had enough of the creeps, the snake-oil salesmen and spoofers, who caused our financial ruin and yet continue to raise unjust taxes, to subsidise their personal greed and gross negligence.

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