In an email received by Thurles.Info this morning from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) it has now been confirmed that Tipperary Co. Council are directly responsible for failure to protect the River Suir from pollution.
The email reply in its entirety reads: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acknowledges receipt on 30/08/2025 of your correspondence with regard to the alleged pollution of the river Suir and perceived lack of action by Tipperary County Council and other authorities as listed by you. Our Ref. COM021813.
The remit of the EPA allows us to support complainants by ensuring local authorities give due consideration to every complaint received from all members of the public and uphold their obligations under environmental protection legislation. We do not have the same enforcement remit with regard to the other authorities listed by you, but do report complaints and concerns to all with the aim of highlighting issues of environmental impact and working together to resolve issues, where possible.
Tipperary County Council has responsibility for dealing with the issues described in your correspondence.
The EPA would like to forward a copy of your correspondence to Tipperary County Council for their attention, action, and direct response to you.
In order to allow them to respond to you, we will need to share your contact information with them. Please confirm in a reply to this email if you consent (for data protection GDPR compliance purposes) to the EPA sharing your contact information with the Council.
Please note, a referral from the EPA obliges the local authority to log the complaint, open a case file, investigate the matter and report back to the complainant (you in this instance) as to any assessment and/or action planned or taken.
I trust you will find this of assistance“
Signed: Programme Officer – Complaints Unit, Office of Environmental Enforcement, Wexford.
My reply To the EPA sent today is as follows:
“Thank you for your quick reply to my communication received today.
I confirm that I have no objection to the EPA sharing my contact information with Tipperary Co. Council. However, I fear by doing so you will receive little response.
I have contacted Tipperary Co. Council on numerous occasions over the past 5 years and all I ever receive is automated responses from secretaries.
My last contact with Tipperary Co. Council was just one week ago. A standard reply came back stating that my complaint would be forwarded to the relevant environmental department. I have heard nothing since.
This morning a survey of the area undertaken by me has revealed little or nothing has changed in the past 7 days. Ladies’ clothing previously dumped on the river bank, has received further contributions. (See picture shown above).
To their shame, no effort has been made by local Thurles Municipal District Council officials or by elected councillors either.
The smell of sewage is about the same. Two more Supermarket Trolleys and one plastic chair have been added to the now stagnant waterway. (See picture shown hereunder).
Please send me a copy of all/any communications forwarded to Tipperary Co. Council, regarding the present state of the River Suir in Thurles, including that using my contact information.
Please find (shown here above) pictures attached; which further highlight this pressing issue.
I remain
Yours sincerely, etc.
So where do we go from here?
It would appear that we, as residence of Thurles, have lost total control of our area and a commitment by our local authority to involve themselves in a public consultation process, no longer exists.
While elected councillors are aware of Tipperary Co. Council’s official’s plans, same are not being shared with their electorate.
Some 300 metres away from this current stench ridden River Suir; a building is being upgraded and due to come on line in December 2025; same reconstructed at a cost of €3.4 million euro of taxpayers money, courtesy of the Rural Regeneration & Development Fund (RRDF).
Through this taxpayer-funded venture, Tipperary County Council will collect about €21,000 in yearly rental income.
Instead of focusing on its duty to represent the local community, Tipperary Co. Council has positioned itself as a competitor to already existing, tax and ratepaying businesses; yet enjoys an unfair advantage by sidestepping the significant setup expenses that other ordinary businesses are obliged to pay.
We await Tipperary County Councils reply.
I and a few others wanted to clean up the river a couple of years ago from the bridge to the swinging gates & were told it would be illegal to do so & could result in fines if we went ahead.
As a local resident of 20 years, its sad to see the current condition of a river that up to 5 years ago, was home to a family of river otters, which are now gone. Recent commercial construction projects along the river walk, in Thurles have caused untold damage to the river ecology, with uncontrolled surface run-off. If it wasn’t bad enough, Tipp Coco have approved the building of a new McDonald’s in the same area….as if Thurles needs another fast food establishment.
It is a complete disgrace that our MD, Thurles/Templemore cannot manage our river to the same standard as that in Templemore.
We could have a beautiful resource in the town.
And all the micro plastics from cars? They end up in babies brains.