Employment - Thurles Information

Appointment Of Two New Data Protection Commissioners.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has today announced the appointment by Government of two new Data Protection Commissioners, namely Dr. Des Hogan and Mr. Dale Sunderland. Their appointments will take effect from February 20th 2024, for a five-year term.
Dr. Des Hogan has been appointed as Chairperson by the Minister.

The Data Protection Commission has grown significantly in size, scope and responsibility over the last decade. Following a review by the Department of Justice into how best to support this growth, the Government decided to appoint two additional Commissioners, who were selected following an open completion run by the Public Appointments Service.

Minister McEntee said: “The Data Protection Commission has played a pioneering role in enforcing the GDPR across Europe as the lead supervisory authority for a large number of technology and internet platform companies with EU headquarters in Ireland.
The two new commissioners will support an effective and well-resourced, highly-skilled regulator. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has responsibility for a significant body of work. In recent years as GDPR and protection of personal data have moved into mainstream public consciousness, the DPC has seen its workload increase in all areas of the organisation.
Some 85% of the fines issued across Europe last year, including the EU, EEA, and UK, were issued by the DPC on foot of detailed and comprehensive investigations.
This underlines both the DPC’s significant role, and positive record of effective and robust data regulation.
The Government values the DPC’s important and independent role as one of the largest EU data protection authorities and acknowledges its strong track record in carrying out its duties”.

The Government has ensured that the DPC is resourced to carry out its critical and independent role. The Commission received an allocation of €28.1m under Budget 2024, an almost eightfold increase on its previous 2015 allocation of €3.6m.

Minister McEntee also paid tribute to outgoing Data Protection Commissioner Ms Helen Dixon, whose tenure comes to an end on February 19th, 2024, after almost a decade in the post.

Minister McEntee said: “I would like to thank Ms Dixon for the dedication, strength and vision she has shown throughout her time as Data Protection Commissioner.
Under her stewardship, the Data Protection Commission’s size and remit has expanded significantly and is currently staffed with some 222 employees.
Ms Dixon has led the organisation through this expansion and navigated an evolving data protection landscape, following the enactment of the General Data protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018.
I wish Ms Dixon well in her new role as Commissioner in the Commission for Communications Regulation”.

The vacancy for the third DPC Commissioner will be filled, through a new Public Appointments Service competition, as soon as possible.

New Garda Recruitment Campaign.

Significant increase in training allowance.
New trainees to receive €305 per week.
Change to age requirements opens role to 35 to 50 year olds for first time.

The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, has welcomed the new recruitment campaign for An Garda Síochána, which opens for applications today and closes on Thursday 8 February.

Noting that recruitment into An Garda Síochána has accelerated following the forced closure of the Garda College to intakes, due to Covid-19, the Minister said: “I am very pleased to see Garda recruits once again regularly entering training at Templemore, and this competition will ensure there is a continuous pipeline of new trainees.
As a government we allocated the highest ever budget of €2.3 billion to An Garda Síochána for 2024. That included funding for between 800 and 1,000 new Gardaí, and I hope, and indeed expect, that there will be a strong response to this campaign.
I encourage anyone who believes they can make a positive contribution as a Garda to consider putting their name forward.
Policing is a career in which no two days will be the same – it can be exciting, rewarding and undoubtedly challenging, but it offers a great opportunity to have a positive impact in the community and to be a part of a modern, inclusive police service that has the respect and trust of the Irish public.”

The last Garda recruitment campaign which closed in April 2023, received approximately 5,000 applications.

Both the Government and Garda Commissioner have said they are committed to reflecting the increasing diversity in Irish Society by ensuring that all communities see themselves reflected in An Garda Síochána. The Garda Commissioner has also put a strong focus on equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds to join An Garda Síochána through this campaign.

Noting recent changes made to the eligibility requirements and increased training allowance, Minister McEntee added: “We have significantly increased the training allowance for trainee Gardaí, to €305 per week. Given that, and the decision to increase the maximum age of recruitment from 35 to 50, I believe we are opening up policing as a career option to a new cohort of people who will bring a range of different life and career experiences to the table.
Across 2023 we have seen recruitment into An Garda Síochána gain real momentum. And with unprecedented funding recently allocated for equipment and wellbeing initiatives, and recent increases in frontline supervisors, I believe those who join will be supported as they take on what I know can be a challenging job.
Our Gardaí do vital work every day investigating crime, supporting victims and maintaining the security of the state. Given that my top priority is building stronger, safer communities, I want to express my gratitude to them for their outstanding dedication and commitment and I hope this competition will lead to many more joining their ranks.”

Prospective candidates can visit publicjobs.ie for more information on how to apply.

Closing Date for the competition is Thursday 8th February 2024.

Is Munster Car Park In Thurles Due For Imminent Closure?

**Redesignated parking on Cathedral Street, Thurles.**
*Pic: G. Willoughby*

In the early part of last month (December 2023) an elected Thurles town councillor, namely Mr Jim Ryan, correctly raised the clear possibility that the town could lose a vital car parking area, located on Cathedral Street.

The area sits adjacent to the now derelict, eyesore once known as the Munster Hotel.

Independent Councillor Mr Jim Ryan, who first raised the issue, stated that some existing 100 car parking spaces could be made unavailable, following a failure to agree on future rent sought by the owner of the Munster Hotel, Mr Martin Healy, and his current tenant, Tipperary County Council, with the facility set to be closed to the public on a date, confirmed by Mr Healy, possibly February 2024.

Cllr Ryan has correctly stated, that a lot of schools, shops, businesses and the religious facility nearby (Cathedral of the Assumption), all who benefit from the use of this car park on a daily basis will suffer huge inconvenience, when going about their normal business in Thurles.

Cllr Ryan has called on the relevant bodies (namely the declared owner of the car park and Tipp. Co. Council), to come together to find a compromise, thus ensuring that the car park in question remains open to the public.

In the meanwhile, Mr Healy, the named owner of the car park facility, has publicly stated that his dispute with Tipperary Co. Council is not about money, but instead, what he is looking for is a proper future lease that would involve better maintenance of the car park site; which of course confirms Cllr. Ryan’ statement that any such compromise will involve money.

In the days prior to Christmas week, 2023, Tipperary Co. Council officials appear to have taken the initiative to ensure that school buses will now move from the Munster Hotel car park area, unto Cathedral Street. This appears to be confirmed by the appearance of new road markings on both sides of the streetscape. (See Image shown left above).

If the car park is closed to the public, what will be the future possible consequences?

Keep in mind that presently, school buses arrive into Thurles and park between the hours 8:45am until 4:15pm each day, in this now disputed rented car parking area.
From February, the proposed car park closure will see these buses move unto both sides of Cathedral Street, leaving no spaces for would-be consumers, either in the car park itself or on the street outside.
Students of all ages attending secondary schools will now be places in decidedly greater danger, while attempting to board school buses in this area of heavy moving traffic.
This non availability to park vehicles, now presents existing tennants and their landlords; same running foodpremises, bookmaker establishments, hardware, dentistry, clothing, beauty, dry cleaning, charity and hair salon businesses, latter all currently trading in the immediate area; unable to attract and service regular consumers, in turn resulting in the nonpayment of rates, or at best found to be in serious arrears of same, thus leading to closures.

Attendances at the nearby Cathedral of the Assumption will be greatly reduced at daily Mass times, (which normally take place at 11:00am and 7:00pm on week days), with the elderly, in particular, now possibly forced to move to attend religious ceremonies in the nearby Church of St. Joseph and St. Brigid, in Bothar-na-Naomh, Thurles, where adequate free parking is readily available.
Any such closure could cause greatest upset at funeral times, where people travelling great distances, particularly in winter time, will find no place to park in an already delibertly congested town, when wishing to attend such events in the Cathedral of the Assumption building.

Why does The Source Carpark remain closed.
The recent fire in the carpark underneath the existing “The Source” library area has remained closed to the public for some time, even before two arson attacks; same having had its ceiling regularly attacked by “latch street kids” and others with “idle hands”.
Latter travel around in small groups, while waiting for parents to return home from work. It was therefore no surprise that same area was set on fire, when strips of insulation was left unattended, dangling every-where in easy reach, from the ceiling area; within months of the building opening to a non attended political fanfare, back in 2006.

Where indeed will ticket paying consumers now park intent on attending Thurles Theatre and Thurles Library. Once again greed and poor planning; both have clearly “cut of their nose to spite their face”, a phrase which best expresses a needlessly, self-destructive, overreaction to a Thurles problem.

Time now for local councillors and their officials to inform their local electorate what exactly in going on at local government level. It is no longer acceptable for Councillors, TD’s and their officials, to treat their electorate like mushrooms – kept in the dark, and fed bullshit; while planned futures are being totally demolished.

FSAI-Enforcement Order Served On One Tipperary Food Business Last Month.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that ten Enforcement Orders, in total, were served on Irish food businesses during the month of November; all for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The Enforcement Orders were issued by both Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and by veterinary inspectors in Louth County Council.

One Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Mr David o’Brien, The Bakehouse (bakery), No. 7 Main Street, Cashel, Co Tipperary.

Reason for making of order:

Inadequate temperature control measures for high risk foods.
Uncertainty of conditions under which the food was produced and stored.

Other Closure Orders

A further six Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on premises in counties Kerry, Cork, Louth, Dublin, Kilkenny and Sligo.

Three Closure Orders were also served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on two premises in Co. Limerick and one in Co. Meath.

Full Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website HERE.

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in November include: evidence that people were living and sleeping in the food preparation area; dead mice found in the ingredient storage area which is a part of the food production area, along with numerous mice droppings on shelving; ongoing cockroach infestation in the kitchen, storage areas and on the shop floor; large food storage containers found to be covered in food debris, dirt and cobwebs; evidence of mould and mildew on a chip storage container and on the chip scoops; inadequate temperature control measures in place for high-risk foods; no evidence to demonstrate that the food business operator was trained in food safety, with no evidence of a food safety management system; heavy deposits of mouse droppings behind the fridge, freezer, in the main food preparation area and in the dry goods store; evidence that food infested by rodent droppings was placed on the market; an establishment operating as a meat cutting plant, also producing meat preparations and meat products, without approval from the competent authority.

Commenting, Dr Pamela Byrne, (Chief Executive, FSAI), emphasised the need for all food businesses to take responsibility and commit to their legal obligation to comply with food law, ensuring that there is a strong food safety culture in their business.

“Food law requires all food businesses to be notified to the relevant competent authority prior to operating. This requirement ensures that food businesses will be registered and/or approved with the appropriate inspection agency to ensure food safety and protect consumer health. Every food business must have a food safety management system in place to protect consumers’ health and prevent instances, such as those seen in the Enforcement Orders in November. Each business must also have a positive food safety culture embedded within it. Failure to comply with basic food safety legal requirements is not only a potential risk to public health, but also a risk to the food business’s reputation if things go wrong. Several of the Enforcement Orders in November also detail problems with pest infestations. These must be prevented by always having robust pest control systems in place, but especially during these colder winter months.” said Dr Byrne.

All Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the FSAI website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month from the date the Order was lifted.

Slievenamon Road Upgrade – Final Nail In Thurles Town Centre’s Coffin.

It has become perfectly obvious that urban city planning ideas are now being mandatory enforced on rural, agricultural towns like Thurles, Co. Tipperary with disastrous consequences, forcing trading retail businesses to either close or fold their tents to move elsewhere.

Anyone who visited Dublin City recently will know that only public transport, cyclists and pedestrians can now get into and around its increasingly menacing streets, with any degree of efficiently.

**The busy prosperous Liberty Square of the 1960’s**.

That is all well and good in Dublin with its network of buses, trams and taxis. Here in rural Thurles such public transport is very limited. There isn’t a Dart tram line to be found running from rural Upperchurch or indeed Two-mile-Borris or Littleton villages every 15 minutes. Indeed there is not one single bus shelter to be found in Thurles, to protect a prospective bus passenger from our inclement weather.

For those who wish to view what exactly will be forced on the residents and businesses of this once prosperous midland town, take a look here: N62-Slievenamon-Road-Phase-2.pdf

NOTE Page 6 of the above pdf: “Some of the key interventions that this strategy will deliver include significant investment in the provision of safe, segregated infrastructure to protect those walking and cycling on our roads, and initiatives to promote modal shift from motor vehicle travel to support environmental, safety and health objectives.”

The picturesque Liberty Square, midday in 2023, asks a Question: Where are the town centre consumers; where are the cyclists; the walker, and the vehicle parking spaces.
Answer: Driven out with the businesses. Gone to support German international discount retailers on the outskirts of Thurles, who offer very little local employment, while selling a considerable amount of German processed produce.

See also what is planned in the Draft Discussion maps for Slievenamon Road, shown here: N62-Slievenamon-Road-Map.pdf.

Question: Where are the Cycle Paths either on a half upgraded Liberty Square, town centre or on this newly designed, still to be revamped, Slievenamon Road plan?
Answer: Non existent.

This October 2022 plan will most certainly drive home that final nail in our town centre’s coffin. However, the local electorate, (now remaining surprisingly silent), can express their anger, during local elections, expected to be held possible next March.