Community News « Thurles Information

Christmas 2025 – Free Parking Initiative In County Tipperary.

Overview.

Tipperary County Council has rolled out a range of free-parking initiatives across multiple large towns in the county in the run-up to Christmas 2025. The aim is to support local retailers and encourage festive shopping.

Thurles Town – Free Parking Offer.

In Thurles Town: courtesy of Thurles Municipal District Councils administration (signed off on by Ms Sharon Scully), free parking will be available only for the first 30 minutes every day, (Fifteen minutes more than every ordinary) every day, throughout December 2025. Additionally, all council-owned car parks will provide free parking on the following Saturdays: 6th, 13th and 20th December 2025.
As it stands currently, it is important to note that three out of the town’s six main car parks will likely remain closed for this busy season, namely the car park beside the former Munster Hotel, (a long-standing resource for shoppers, parishioners and students); the car park underneath The Source building, (latter now closed for 3 years) and the new Market Area car park, beside The Source, (the upgrading of which has suffered serious delays).
So, no concessions on the busy three days prior to December 25th.
This limitation significantly undermines the stated objective of boosting local trade and enabling easy access to town centre shops.

Comparison With Other Tipperary Towns:
Tipperary Town: Same offers one hour of free on-street parking each day, and unlimited free parking in all council car parks for December 2025.
Roscrea: Same will have free parking throughout their towns every Saturday in December.
Templemore: Same will have free parking throughout their town every Saturday in December.
Clonmel Borough District: All council-owned car parks will have free parking on each Saturday in December, after 10am. The town also has a car park in Suirside which is free all year round and which will also be available for Christmas shoppers.
Cashel Town: Same will also offer free parking in all council-owned car parks on Saturdays throughout December.
Cahir Town: Same will also offer free parking in all council-owned car parks on Saturdays throughout December.
Carrick-on-Suir Town: There will be free parking in all of the council-owned car parks on each Saturday throughout the month of December.
Finally, in Nenagh Town: Here there will be three hours free parking in all council-owned car parks from Saturday December 6th, until Friday December 26th 2025. On-street parking will remain subject to ‘pay-and-display’.

Disparity Between Thurles and Tipperary Town:
The differential treatment between Thurles and Tipperary Town, in particular, is stark and concerning:
In Tipperary Town, shoppers benefit from unlimited free car-park access, plus one hour of free on-street parking, offering real convenience to those visiting the town centre.

In contrast, Thurles’ offer is limited to just 30 minutes free daily, and only on three Saturdays in December, while simultaneously reducing the supply of parking spaces by possibly having three of its main car parks closed. This severely undermines the town’s capacity to attract and accommodate shoppers.

Question: So where in this scenario are our Local elected Municipal District Councillors and our Thurles Chamber of Commerce. Thurles businesses no longer has a voice.

Given that the declared purpose of the initiative is to “promote local trade and encourage support for Town Traders during the festive season,” this disparity highlights an inequality in how different towns within the county are supported. Oh and by the way there is little on-street parking in Thurles town centre since over 60% was removed following it beings half upgraded.

Call for Review & Equal Treatment.
We call on Tipperary County Council to reconsider the parking allocations for Thurles, especially in light of the closure of significant car parks, thus ensuring that the town receives a level of support comparable to other towns such as the afore mentioned Tipperary Town.

Failing to address this inequity risks undermining the very objective of stimulating local commerce in Thurles during what should be one of the busiest trading periods of the year.

Tipperary Man Appears In Court Following €8.1 Million Cocaine Seizure.

Tipperary man remanded, after €8.1 million cocaine seizure in Laois.

A 39-year-old man from Wood View, Boulick, Gortnahoe, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, latter named in court as Mr Thomas Ryan, has been remanded in custody following a major seizure of suspected cocaine in Co. Laois.

Under the banner of Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau’s (GN-DOCB) Operation TARA, Gardaí carried out searches at a residential address, associated lands and a wooded area in Killnaseer, Rathdowney, on October 28th, 2025. The operation led to the seizure of approximately 116 kg of suspected cocaine, same with a street-value estimated at around €8.1 million, along with several electronic devices.

At his bail hearing on November 3rd last at Portlaoise District Court, defence counsel Mr Aonghus McCarthy argued that Ryan, latter a qualified carpenter with a two-decade working history, had strong community ties. His father, a 74-year-old farmer, offered a substantial surety.

However, Garda evidence, led by Mr Stephen Gillespie of GN-DOCB, strongly opposed bail. Gardaí claimed Mr Ryan had been identified as allegedly involved in the storage and distribution of drugs on behalf of an organised criminal group. They reported that two vehicles were seized from his address; one of which contained a “sophisticated motorised concealment.”

A search of a wooded area later, allegedly revealed the cocaine blocks, some bearing various markings and stamps, with one sample block, reportedly valued at €70,000, which has since tested positive for the drug cocaine.

According to court reports, Mr Ryan was interviewed six times at a Garda station following his arrest and is said to have made admissions relating to the storage and distribution of the drugs.

Prosecutors indicated the case will almost certainly proceed on indictment, and additional charges could follow.

Rejecting the bail application, Ms Justice Susan Fay remanded Mr Ryan in custody. The matter was adjourned to December 15th for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP); with the accused most likely to appear by video link.

Garda Warns Of Rising Child Grooming Risks On Online Gaming Platforms.

A senior officer with the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau has warned that children are being groomed and exploited on online gaming platforms, at what he described as an “alarming scale.”

Detective Superintendent Michael Mullen told RTÉ’s Prime Time that Gardaí are now regularly encountering cases of grooming, sexual exploitation and abuse linked to platforms such as Roblox, which is particularly popular among younger children. He said he was “very concerned” about the level of exploitation occurring “on a daily basis.”

**Sexual Exploitation and Abuse linked to Childrens Roblox platform**, **says Senior Detective**.

Roblox, which has over 150 million daily users, allows children as young as five years old to set up accounts without age verification or mandatory parental approval. During a Prime Time investigation, test accounts accessed games containing simulated sexual behaviour, dating role-play, racial slurs and suicide references; all prohibited under Roblox’s rules. Gambling-style features and users soliciting the platform’s virtual currency were also identified.

Det Supt Mullen cited cases where Irish children were coerced into buying items for other users and, in some instances, pressured to self-harm. In one case, a nine-year-old seeking virtual currency was targeted by adults demanding explicit acts in return.

Roblox is facing mounting international scrutiny, including legal actions in several US states alleging failures to protect minors. Former Garda and ex-Interpol specialist Mr Mick Moran, now CEO of Hotline.ie, said similar risks exist in Ireland. “Absolutely, children here are being groomed,” he said.

Experts highlighted the ease with which adults and children can interact on the same servers, with Prime Time observing attempts by older users to move minors onto private messaging apps. Researchers, testing Roblox, also reported widespread sexualised behaviour and abusive language.

Roblox says child safety is a “top priority” and that it removed content highlighted by the programme. It will introduce age verification for chat functions in Ireland early next year, though specialists warn that determined predators can still bypass such measures.

Gardaí and online safety advocates emphasised the vital role of parents. They advised parents to set up accounts alongside their children, know the games being played, use parental controls, and reinforce rules around avoiding private chats with strangers.

A Must Watch For Parents.
NOTE: Prime Time’s full investigation airs on this evening, November 27th at 9:35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

Gardaí Seize €55,000 Worth Of Suspected Cocaine & Cannabis In Co. Tipperary.

Gardaí seize €55,000 worth of suspected cocaine and cannabis in Cahir, Co. Tipperary raid, yesterday.

**Suspected Cocaine & Cannabis Seized in Cahir, Co. Tipperary Garda Raid, Yesterday**.

Gardaí, armed with a search warrent, carried out a search of a house in Cahir, Co. Tipperary, yesterday November 26th, resulting in the seizure of an estimated €55,000 of suspected cocaine and cannabis.

Officers also recovered more than €4,000 in cash and a substantial quantity of drug-dealing paraphernalia.

The operation involved the Tipperary South Divisional Drugs Unit, the Divisional Crime Task Force, the Garda Dog Unit and the Tipperary Central Community Policing Unit.

No arrests have as yet been reported at this time.

A file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Coroner Issues Urgent Alert Over Rising Threat of Nitazene Opioids.

Dangerous ‘nitazene’ opioids are on the rise in Ireland and researchers are worried. Be aware!

An Ireland coroner has issued a grave warning regarding the escalating dangers posed by nitazenes, latter a ‘new to the market’ and a highly potent group of synthetic opioids, now increasingly linked to sudden deaths across the region.

The alert follows the inquest into the death of 33-year-old Portadown man, Mr Jay Woolsey, who died in August 2024. During the hearing, the coroner stressed that nitazenes are far stronger than previously understood, in some cases hundreds or even thousands of times more potent than morphine. Since late 2023, these substances have been entering the drug market in Ireland and at speed.

Authorities warn that the potency of nitazenes varies significantly, with some similar in strength to heroin while others far exceed the power of fentanyl. This inconsistency creates a dangerously high risk of accidental overdose. Compounding the threat, nitazenes have been identified in drugs typically seen as non-opioid substances, including MDMA, ketamine and benzodiazepines, thus placing unsuspecting users at severe risk.
Note: Fentanyl test strips do not detect nitazenes.

The physical effects mirror those of other opioids and can include:

Euphoria or a dreamlike state.
Unresponsiveness or loss of consciousness.
Itchiness.
Severe nausea or vomiting.
Slow or difficult breathing.
Blue lips or fingertips.
Cold, clammy skin‘
Pinpoint pupils.

To date, ten additional nitazene-related deaths have been recorded across the North of Ireland, many involving polydrug use. The coroner noted that families are often unaware that loved ones are sourcing dangerous substances online or via the dark web.

Public Health Agencies and police have reiterated serious concerns about nitazenes being mixed with heroin and other drugs, often without users’ knowledge, sharply increasing the potential for fatal overdose.

Public health agencies and support services are now being urged to take immediate action, including:

Strengthening early-warning systems and enhancing monitoring of emerging synthetic opioids, ensuring rapid information-sharing across health, Gardaí, justice and community sectors.
Improving multi-agency cooperation to enable fast, coordinated responses to overdose spikes and new drug threats.
Expanding rapid-access treatment options and ensuring families affected by overdose receive timely, appropriate support.
Issuing clear and consistent public alerts when nitazenes are detected and promoting practical harm-reduction guidance for drug users and their families.
Making nitazene test strips available through harm-reduction and outreach services to help identify contamination and prevent further deaths.

Authorities are urging communities to remain vigilant and to seek immediate medical help if signs of opioid overdose are present.