How and when will the environmental needs of the River Suir, In Thurles Co. Tipperary, be correctly addressed.
On Friday August 29th, 2025 after a 12 year wait, I issued, not for the first time, a complaint to the Customer Service Desk at Tipperary Co. Council and received a reply which quoted reference number ENV-11308-F6L3.
I should point out, that had I not received a reply by mid-day today, the matter would have found the desk of the Ombudsman on Monday morning next, as is required by the Tipperary Co. Council’s own Customer Charter. SEE HERE.
This afternoon at precisely 3:11pm I received a communication from Mr Robert O’Brien, (A/Executive Scientist, Environment & Climate Action, Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.)
(See April 17th 2019 Posted 6 years ago).
Just a few of the many previous alerts on the pollution of the River Suir, all ignored.
https://www.thurles.info/2016/08/05/what-does-the-river-suir-mean-to-you/ May 2016.
https://www.thurles.info/2019/09/16/state-of-your-river-suir-in-thurles-this-evening/ September 2019
https://www.thurles.info/2019/10/25/tipperary-co-co-admit-raw-sewage-flows-into-river-suir/ October 2019.
https://www.thurles.info/2024/01/29/major-decline-in-tipperary-river-water-quality/ January 2024.
https://www.thurles.info/2024/08/20/88130/ August 2024.
https://www.thurles.info/2024/09/23/take-a-walk-by-river-suir-thurles-today/ September 2024.
https://www.thurles.info/2025/06/10/12-years-on-thurles-river-suir-still-ignored-by-tipperary-co-council/ June 2025.
The communication on Thursday last reads:
To George Willoughby, Thurles 18th September 2025 Re: ENV-11366-D1G0:
Concerns Regarding the River Suir at Thurles.
Dear Mr. Willoughby,
Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the condition of the upper River Suir at Thurles. We do appreciate your concern.
Tipperary County Council acknowledges the environmental challenges facing the upper River Suir at Thurles and wishes to assure you that proactive steps are being taken to address these issues.
Contrary to the perception that no action is being taken, a comprehensive catchment management plan and pilot study are currently being developed for the upper catchment of the River Suir.
This initiative involves a collaborative approach, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders including local authorities, elected members, agricultural groups, environmental agencies, schools and community groups. The aim is to identify and address key sources of pollution.
The pilot study will inform targeted interventions and water quality initiatives to improve water quality, biodiversity and overall river health of the upper River Suir.
It is the intention that this pilot study will lead to improvements however it’s important to understand that such improvements will take time.
You are welcome to contact me on 087-6724679 or email robert.obrien@tipperarycoco.ie if you have any queries in relation to the information contained in this letter.
Yours Faithfully,
Robert O’Brien, Executive Scientist Environment & Climate Action.
Realising that over the past 6 years I had never received the courtesy of a reply from Tipperary Co. Council; on Saturday 30th August, 2025, I issued a formal complaint to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ref. COM021813, at info@epa.ie, asking that they put pressure (prosecute if necessary) on Tipperary Co. Council in their failings to take the necessary action required, first reported 12 years ago on November 7th, 2013. SEE HERE and note the date.
Following this latest communication from Mr Robert O’Brien, I now ask:- How will the environmental needs of the River Suir be addressed, keeping in mind that Thurles is its source? Must we take legal action?
From Mr O’Brien reply, shown above, it would appear that major issues will be addressed using a ‘partnership approach‘, where all stakeholders will be consulted. Some might argue that this is a positive problem-solving approach admirably rooted in democracy. Many others, like myself, however, might argue that this is not democracy, but rather bureaucracy (i.e. excessively complicated administrative procedures).
Indeed we saw at first hand, recently, how this so called “partnership approach“, ended up with, despite serious protestations, the reduction of 60% footfall on Liberty Square, thus destroying prosperous businesses.
The video footage shown hereunder is undeniable: Tipperary County Council officials, aided by Thurles Municipal District officials and supported by local councillors, are not only failing in their duty to protect the River Suir; they are directly contributing to its pollution and decline and this is confirmed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ref. COM021813.
Video above shows sewage flowing openly into the River Suir in broad daylight in the centre of Thurles town, over the last 12 years, within 4 to 20 metres of two major food outlets/supermarkets and never before observed in even the medieval history of Thurles.
Questions:
As the communication acknowledges, this consultative partnership approach will take time. (Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) who work on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities reckons between 2 to 5 years).
(1) Given the diversity of stakeholders it will most likely take a lot of time, but does the River Suir have that time?
(2) As we recently reported, raw sewage is flowing for the past 12 years, into the river. Do we need to consult/create a talking shop with all stakeholders in order to debate the merits of 28 pipes draining into an 800 metre (½ mile) stretch of this river, within the centre of Thurles Town?
(3) Surely, it’s fair to assume that all stakeholders will be in agreement that raw sewage flowing into the River Suir is a bad idea and should be addressed immediately. Are we not informed almost daily that health and safety supersede all else?
(4) Surely the consultative process can be bypassed, to safeguard against the damage and destruction of sewage pollution?
(5) So how will the environmental problems, faced by the River Suir, be solved?
Per your recent reply, it looks like there will be a committee of representative stakeholders who will meet and be consulted on the matter. We had one such talking shop in Thurles, 9 years ago, on August 5th 2016, Read Here. I heard nothing since.
“A camel is a horse designed by a committee!“
Committees have been described by wise men as a group that takes minutes and wastes hours! Alternatively, others see such committees as a group of people who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done!
With regards to forming a committee to correct the sewage issues in the River Suir in Thurles, may I suggest you select 3 people, one of whom you know is always sick and the other whom you know won’t ever turn up. Then as a scientist you go ahead and make a unanimous decision. We already had promises way back over one year ago, published by the Irish Independent. See issue published exactly one year to the day, and dated Thursday, 19th September 2024 at 3:18pm.
I have replied to Mr O’Brien pointing out that all communications from Tipperary Co. Council officials will be published on this site, thus ensuring a “collaborative approach, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders including local authorities, elected members, agricultural groups, environmental agencies, schools and community groups” and we welcome all points of view for discussion.
Yes, I have replied today (10:46am) to Mr O’Brien, expressing my anger, but sadly, one fears the life of the River Suir doesn’t have time to waste, if in my lifetime we are to include its recovery time.
In a supposedly automated reply also received today (11:06am), I learn quote: “I am currently out on site Thursday18th September with limited access to emails and on Annual Leave Friday 19th, but I will reply to e-mails on my return Monday 22nd September. For all urgent enquiries please call the Environment Section at 0818 06 5000”.
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