Community News « Thurles Information

Housing Minister Signals Easing of Rural Planning Rules.

Eviction Ban Ruled Out as Housing Minister Signals Easing of Rural Planning Rules.

Ireland’s rural planning rules are set to be relaxed under new housing guidelines due to be published within weeks, according to Housing Minister Mr James Browne TD. The Minister said the updated guidelines aim to make it easier for people to build homes in rural communities, while also creating greater consistency in planning decisions nationwide.

Speaking during a visit to social housing projects in Donegal, Mr Browne said the Government is committed to reducing restrictions on rural housing development across the country. He added that the new framework would provide a more balanced and predictable approach for rural applicants.

The Minister also rejected renewed opposition calls for an eviction ban, following a sharp rise in eviction notices during the opening months of 2026. Recent figures from the Residential Tenancies Board showed more than 7,000 notices of termination were issued in the first quarter of the year; a rise of roughly 50% compared with the same period in 2025.

Mr Browne argued that previous eviction bans damaged rental supply and insisted the Government’s focus must remain on increasing housing availability. He pointed to signs that termination notices began to decline in March, with expectations of a further drop in April.

The minister said reforms introduced earlier this year are intended to strengthen protections for renters while encouraging more long-term participation in the rental market. Updated RTB figures also showed a modest increase in the number of landlords and registered tenancies nationwide.

Ballypadeen Demolition Decision Highlights Planning Failures In Co. Tipperary.

Tipperary County Council’s decision to approve the demolition of the 52 unfinished houses at Ballypadeen near Cashel has reignited debate about planning, dereliction, and the wider housing crisis. While many people understandably see the structures as potential homes, the reality behind the site is far more complicated.

The partially completed houses have stood idle for almost two decades overlooking the Rock of Cashel after construction stopped in 2007. Originally approved during the Celtic Tiger era, the development was never intended to function as a standard residential estate. Planning permission was granted for tourism accommodation linked to a large hotel and leisure complex that was never built.

According to Tipperary County Council, the site sits on unzoned and unserviced land outside the Cashel settlement boundary, placing it in conflict with current planning policy. Independent engineering and technical assessments commissioned as part of the process concluded that the structures contained significant defects and that restoring them for long-term residential use would not be financially viable.

The council has also confirmed that the demolition forms part of a legally binding mediated settlement between the local authority and the landowner following years of legal disputes connected to the development.

Public frustration is understandable given Ireland’s ongoing housing shortage. Critics, including local representatives and members of the public, have argued that demolishing 52 partially completed houses during a housing crisis appears counterproductive. However, the issue is not simply about unfinished houses being left unused. The core problem is that the development was approved under a tourism model tied to infrastructure and zoning conditions that never materialised.

What is also important to note is that despite the national attention the site has received, the houses are not visible when entering or leaving Cashel itself. The development sits outside the town and is largely hidden from the main approach roads, contrary to some impressions created online and in wider media coverage.

The council says the demolition will help address long-term dereliction and protect the visual setting surrounding the Rock of Cashel, one of Ireland’s most historically important landmarks.

Ultimately, Ballypadeen has become a symbol of wider failures in Irish planning and development during the boom years. The debate now is not only about whether these buildings should remain standing, but how developments like this were ever allowed to reach such a stage without proper long-term oversight, infrastructure, or viable planning foundations in place.

Concern Raised Over Sinn Féin Platforming of Convicted Terrorist’s Son.

**Poster published, by Mary Lou McDonald, *(Sinn Féin)*.**

Serious concern has been expressed following the appearance of Arab Barghouti, son of convicted Palestinian militant leader Marwan Barghouti, at the most recent Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Belfast.

According to reports from the event, Arab Barghouti addressed delegates and supporters to sustained applause during proceedings focused on international solidarity and Middle East issues. Critics have described the reception as deeply inappropriate given the violent history associated with his father.

Marwan Barghouti is currently serving multiple life sentences in Israel after being convicted in 2004 for involvement in attacks that killed five civilians during the Second Intifada. Israeli courts found him guilty on several counts of murder and membership in a terrorist organisation. While some political activists, sadly, continue to portray him as a symbol of Palestinian resistance; while many victims’ families and international observers regard him accurately as directly responsible for acts of terrorism that caused immense civilian suffering.

Opponents of Sinn Féin’s decision to provide a platform for Arab Barghouti argue that inviting representatives connected to individuals convicted of orchestrating deadly attacks risks undermining efforts to promote peace, reconciliation and respect for innocent victims of violence.

“This was not simply a controversial political appearance,” one critic stated. “It amounted to the normalisation and sanitisation of terrorism in front of a large public audience. The victims of these attacks, and their families, deserve better than to see applause for those associated with such unbelievable brutality.”

The controversy has also reignited debate around the responsibilities of political parties when selecting international speakers for major public conferences. Commentators have argued that democratic institutions should remain vigilant against attempts to romanticise or rewrite the legacy of political violence, regardless of where it occurred.

A similar sentiments were widely expressed on Tuesday April 28th last, when Arab Barghouti addressed a public meeting in at a pub in Cross Guns, Dublin 9. The event, promoted online by pro-Palestinian activists and Sinn Féin supporters, focused on solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and support for Marwan Barghouti, the jailed Palestinian political figure and former Fatah leader. Again attendees heard speeches concerning the situation in Gaza, Palestinian prisoners, and international solidarity campaigns. Promotional material referred to Marwan Barghouti as a “jailed Palestinian leader,” while critics again noted that he was convicted by an Israeli court for involvement in attacks that killed civilians during the Second Intifada.

Others have defended the invitation on the grounds of international solidarity with the Palestinian cause, noting that Marwan Barghouti remains a widely recognised political figure among many Palestinians and international campaigners.

Nevertheless, critics maintain that no political grievance can justify the targeting and killing of civilians, and that public representatives should be careful not to blur the distinction between political advocacy and the glorification of violence and hatred.

Thieves Target West Thurles Area In Early-Morning Raid.

Residents in Thurles are being urged to remain vigilant and ensure all vehicles are locked and parked in secure areas, following a spate of thefts on the west side of the town over the weekend.

It is understood that the thieves targeted several cars during the early hours, in particular checking vehicles for access. In at least one incident, the contents of a car boot were emptied, with expensive items reportedly stolen.

The suspects are alleged to have been operating as a pair shortly before 2:00am on the morning in question.

Local residents are now being asked to check their CCTV for suspicious activity and are warned not to leave valuables in vehicles and to report any suspicious activity immediately to Gardaí.

Gardaí are reminding motorists in particular to:

► Always lock vehicles, even when parked outside their homes.
► Remove valuables and expensive equipment from cars.
► Park vehicles in well-lit or secure locations where possible.
► Stay alert to unusual activity in residential areas late at night.

Anyone with information over last weekend is asked to contact An Garda Síochána at Thurles Garda Station on 0504 251.

Tipperary V Clare – May 16th

Traffic advice from An Garda Síochána for those travelling by car To Thurles.

To help ease congestion, please consider using alternative routes when travelling to Thurles:
Suggested Routes:

► M7 → Moneygall → Dunkerrin → Templemore → Thurles
► M7 → Roscrea → Templemore → Thurles
► M8 → Cashel → Holycross → Thurles
► M8 → Exit 6 (Horse and Jockey) → Thurles
► M8 → Exit 5 (Twomileborris) → Thurles

Please avoid the Nenagh → Latteragh (R498) → Borrisoleigh route due to extensive roadworks and Stop/Go traffic management systems. Here significant delays are expected.