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Driver Arrested Following Garda Chase In Thurles.

Tipperary Roads Policing Unit, while carrying out Pro Active patrols in the Tipperary Central area yesterday evening, spotted occupants of a motor vehicle acting suspiciously in Thurles.

The vehicle, when requested by Gardai to halt, failed to do so, and proceeded to continue on driving dangerously when pursued.

The vehicle eventually was brought to a halt with the occupants attempting to escape on foot. Same were apprehended following pursuit by Gardaí.

The driver was later formerly arrested on suspicion of ‘Dangerous Driving’ and ‘Drug Driving’ having failed a roadside Drug Test.
A quantity of suspected Cocaine and Cannabis were also found, before the vehicle was seized, when it was discovered that the driver held no current Motor Insurance or Driving Licence.

Gardaí state that following this arrest, investigations are now continuing.

12 Years On & Thurles River Suir Still Ignored By Tipperary Co. Council.

In 2022 local press and radio raised the issue regarding over growth, algae, and the wholesale neglect of the River Suir in Thurles, by Tipperary Co. Council.

In a press release, back then, the local authority confirmed that plans were currently being developed in conjunction with Inland Fisheries, LAWPRO and the OPW River Drainage, to carry out maintenance works on the local River channel in an effort to mitigate potential flooding.
In tandem with this work the above named organisations claimed, according to the local authority, that same would look to enhance the area down-stream of the Barry’s Bridge crossing in Thurles, including the installation of deflectors, which supposedly would eradicate algae bloom.

Thurles.Info had highlighted this problem as early as November 2013; almost 12 years preciously, yet to-date nothing has happened, other than reed cutting just days before the last two local elections; which saw trimmed Reeds, Rushes, Switch grass and Sedges left to float and rot in the water, while blocking areas further downstream.

[See same issue raised time and time again including in June 30th, 2022 (view Here); in October 14th, 2022 (view Here); in June 28th, 2023 (view Here); in October 26th 2023 (view Here), in August 17th, 2024 (view Here), in January 29th, 2024 (view Here) and in September 23rd, 2024 (view Here)]

In January 2024, a Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) representative informed Nenagh Municipal District councillors, of a major decline in the water quality of Tipperary’s rivers and streams. Ms Catherine Seale-Duggan, the newly appointed Community Water Officer with LAWPRO warned that the quality of watercourses in Co. Tipperary had dropped “substantially” and “worryingly” over the past 10 years.

Ms Seale-Duggan further confirmed then, that only 1/3 of rivers in Tipperary were in the category of “Good and High Status”, whereas ten years previously almost 2/3 of the counties rivers fell into that same stated category.

A small number of pictures taken on Sunday last, must surely highlight the present need for immediate action in relation to the cesspool that is the river passing through Thurles. The stench/odour which presents itself to the nostrils of those walking in the area between the Swinging Gates and Thurles Shopping Centre for the past number of years, must now be immediately be eradicated.

In January 29th of 2024, a Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO latter first setup in 2016), representative informed Nenagh Municipal District councillors, of a major decline in the water quality of Tipperary’s rivers and streams.
Biologist and spokesperson Mr Fran Igoe, agreed that what is happening in Thurles and the river Suir is ‘shocking‘. On that same date, now 17 months later, Mr Igoe stated that test results showed that while one should expect to find a broad range of aquatic insects and bugs, he could only find two species in our river Suir.

Local councillors back 17 months ago were talking of a plan which was to be drawn up by July 2024. Since then with the situation has become totally unacceptable, with the local electorate not aware of any future possible solution.

So what is this white substance trapped in reeds on the surface of the river water?

FSAI Serve Closure Order On South Tipperary Restaurant/Cafe.

A total of fifteen enforcement orders, including one in South Tipperary, were served on food businesses across Ireland last month, (May 2025)

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that ten Closure Orders and five Prohibition Orders were served on food businesses during the month of May for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The Enforcement Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and by officers of the FSAI.

Five Closure Orders, including one in South Tipperary, were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Shake Dog (Restaurant/ Café), Unit 23, Showgrounds Shopping Centre, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Kerala Royal Caters (Service Sector), Unit 27C, Ashbourne Business Centre, Ballybin Road, Ashbourne, Meath.
Pizza Corner (Take Away), Main Street, Caherconlish, Limerick.
Thindi (Service Sector), 143 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7.
Tasty Food (Takeaway), Unit 2, Cross Avenue, Ballyneety, Limerick.

Five Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

Haperty Limited – Trading at Mind Mega Mela 2025 (Closed activity: the activity associated with the handling, preparation and cooking of raw fish and raw poultry for sale to members of the public (Takeaway), St Margaret’s Road, Finglas, Dublin 11.
Spice Village & Indian Kebab House (Takeaway), Ferry Road, Tarbert, Kerry.
Houda Foods (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Unit 5, Ballinlough Business Park, Ballinlough, Roscommon.
Heyba’s Kitchen, Shed A3 Bremore Farm, Flemington Lane, Bremore, Balbriggan, County Dublin.
Stop n Shop (Convenience Store), 52-54 Tullow Street, Carlow.

Two Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

Haperty Limited Trading at Mind Mega Mela 2025 (Takeaway), St Margaret’s Road, Finglas, Dublin 11.
Noor Halal (Butcher Shop), 10 Church Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

Three Prohibition Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Kerala Royal Caters (Service Sector), Unit 27C, Ashbourne Business Centre, Ballybin Road, Ashbourne, Meath.
Houda Foods (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Unit 5, Ballinlough Business Park, Ballinlough, Roscommon.
Domestic Kitchen, East Road, East Wall, Dublin 3.

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in May include: an unregistered business operating in a shed building where the other half of the shed was a working car workshop; an identification mark belonging to an approved establishment was unlawfully used on food products that had been produced in an unapproved domestic kitchen; inadequate pest control measures; presence of rodent droppings and dead insects in food handling and storage areas; visible mouse droppings; no food safety management system in place; food stored at incorrect temperatures in a container on the grass for an unknown period of time; inadequate hygiene, cleaning, and sanitation practices, including lack of hot water, hand soap, and lack of handwashing during food preparation; black grime, food debris and grease on all floors under the sinks, and oil under the counters and fryers; grease residue dripping on to the floor next to the grease trap area, from a large utensil used for food; lack of labelling, traceability, and supplier documentation for food products.

Mr Greg Dempsey, (Chief Executive, FSAI), warned that every food business must be registered with a competent authority and that all food businesses have a legal obligation to ensure the food they sell is safe to eat.
“The high number of Enforcement Orders in May is disappointing, especially as the type of non-compliances, such as unclean premises and pest infestations, are all preventable where the business has a food safety management system in place and staff are properly trained. Additionally, while the vast majority of food businesses comply with their legal requirement to register their business prior to operating, unfortunately, some choose to operate without the knowledge or supervision of the competent authorities, potentially exposing consumers to unsafe or fraudulent food. These businesses will be pursued using the legal powers available to us. The FSAI website has a wealth of free information for any food business to access if they need help. We also have a free Learning Portal to assist in building compliance by food businesses and it includes eLearning modules, webinars, short videos, and explanatory materials covering a broad range of relevant food safety topics,” said Mr Dempsey.

Also, during the month of April a Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

La Citadel, Glebe House, River Mall, Main Street, Swords, County Dublin

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the 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.

Thurles Planning Alert From Tipperary County Council.

Thurles Weekly Planning Alert From Tipperary County Council.

Application Ref: 2560479.
Applicant: Patrick Ryan.
Development Address: No. 21 Butler Avenue , Thurles , Co. Tipperary.
Development Description: full planning permission to construct a new first floor extension to the rear of my existing dwelling and all associated siteworks.
Status: N/A.
Application Received: 28/05/2025.
Decision Date: n/a.
Further Details: http://www.eplanning.ie/TipperaryCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560479/0.

Application Ref: 2560292.
Applicant: Air Impact Ltd..
Development Address: Racecourse Retail Park, Thurles , Co. Tipperary.
Development Description: (1) First floor storage areas,
(2) Revised elevations to West elevation.
(3) Store shed and PERMISSION to construct a storage shed to the rear of the existing commercial building, including all associated site works and signage.
Status: Conditional.
Application Received: 09/04/2025.
Decision Date: 29/05/2025.
Further Details: http://www.eplanning.ie/TipperaryCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560292/0.

Application Ref: 2560287.
Applicant: Cian Cronin.
Development Address: 25 Iona Avenue, Thurles , Co. Tipperary.
Development Description: (a) The removal of existing single storey extension to the rear & side of house, (b) The construction of a new single storey extension to the side & two-storey extension to the rear of house along with all other necessary associated site development work.
Status: Conditional.
Application Received: 06/04/2025.
Decision Date: 22/05/2025.
Further Details: http://www.eplanning.ie/TipperaryCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560287/0.

Irish Health Officials Urge Public To Stay Home If Feeling Unwell.

Irish health officials are urging the public to stay at home if they’re feeling unwell. A new Covid variant, known as NB.1.8.1, has been detected in Ireland, and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this strain first emerged in January and by late April was responsible for approximately 10.7% of global infections, up from just 2.5% a month earlier. The WHO note that while the variant may be more transmissible than previous strains, there is no evidence it causes more severe symptoms or illness.

This new strain has seen a rapid rise here in Ireland in recent weeks and according to data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the proportion of sequenced Covid samples linked to NB.1.8.1 jumped from 3.7% to 27.3% within the last five weeks.

Irish people who find themselves unwell with unseasonal cold symptoms or gastrointestinal issues may actually have Covid, according to the HSE.

Ireland’s public health guidelines remain the same; if you have any symptoms of Covid, stay at home until 48 hours after the symptoms are mostly or fully gone. You should also avoid contact with other people, especially people at higher risk from Covid.

Covid symptoms to look out for include:

Fever (high temperature – 38C or above) – including experiencing chills; a dry cough; tiredness;
change to your sense of smell or taste; runny or blocked nose; conjunctivitis (red eyes or pink eyes); sore throat; headache; muscle or joint pain; skin rash; vomiting; diarrhoea; chills; dizziness; breathing difficulties; loss of appetite; confusion; pain or pressure in the chest.