Education « Thurles Information

New Bus Route Connecting Thurles With Limerick

A new daily Local Link bus service route, (391) in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, will connect Thurles (Departing Thurles Railway Station) with Limerick, beginning its service on Monday next, September 23rd.

**Thurles – Limerick New Local Link Bus Timetable**

This route will include stops in Ballycahill; Upperchurch; Kilcommon; Rearcross; Newport; Knockbrack; University College Limerick (UL), haulting at Authors Quay.

Same is expected to bring about a permanent enhancement and a long-term transport solution to meet the needs of 3rd level students, city and town shoppers and other visiting commuters, living in these rural areas.

The first daily service will depart from Thurles at 7:00am, while the last daily service will depart at 4:00pm.

The first return bus service (Departing Author’s Quay) from Limerick will leave at 8.50am, with the last service departing this same return Limerick – Thurles route at 5.50pm.

Note: All services will be in operation seven days a week, including Bank Holiday Mondays.

Community Well-Being Vision Being Developed For Thurles, Templemore & Roscrea

Ms Sharon Melbourne Administrator with Tipperary Public Participation Network reports:-

Tipperary PPN (Public Participation Network)

The Tipperary Public Participation Network (PPN) is a collective representation of groups involved in community development, social inclusion and environment, here in Co. Tipperary.

Established in 2014, the PPN provides the community voice on Tipperary County Council committees. It also runs training courses for member groups and shares information about funding and activities.

Tipperary PPN is very excited to be part of the pilot community well-being project. We are currently running community meetings in each Municipal district.

What do we need for the well-being of the communities of Thurles, Templemore and Roscrea?

The immediate question being posed by Tipperary PPN is, “What do we need for the well-being of the communities of Thurles, Templemore and Roscrea areas?” Tipperary PPN want to hear from all the groups and organisations in this area. Developing a vision for community well-being, means thinking about what we have and what we need to assist in these areas, so that together we can strive for further magnitude and pre-eminence for all of us and for the many generations that will follow on after us. One aspect that everyone can agree on is that we would like our communities to be the very best they can be.

Tipperary PPN are delighted to be rolling out this new National Initiative on Community well being. “Our well being is affected by many things; the economy, the environment, services etc” explained Ms Avril Wilson PPN Co-ordinator, “and the well-being of the community affects everyone within it. We really want to hear from the groups and organisations on the ground and what is important to them”.

Groups will also be able to feed in online. All information gleaned will be coordinated and used to influence policy and guide the work of the PPN and its representatives in working towards in achieving the community goals.

Getting involved
The community consultation meeting for this stated area will take place on Wednesday, September 25th 2019 in Borrisoleigh Parish Community Centre, Pallas Street, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary [ E41 FF84 ] from 6:00pm.

If you would like to find out more, or your organisation operating in these community areas aforementioned would like to participate in the consultation on community well-being, please contact the PPN office on Tel: 0504 61014 or email us at coordinator@ppntipperary.ie.

To register to attend this event, please click here HERE to register.

The Climate is Changing – How Can We?

Ms Margaret Ryan (Asst. Librarian), Tipperary Co. Council Library Services, Nenagh reports: –

“As many of you may already be aware, Nenagh Library is the Europe Direct Information Centre (EDIC) for counties Tipperary, Limerick, Cork and Kerry.

On Thursday, September 26th, 2019 next, at 7:00pm, in Nenagh Library, [situated at O’Rahilly Street, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary], we will be holding a Citizens Dialogue on ‘Climate Change and Sustainability’, as part of our 2019 ‘Programme of Events’.

The title of this talk is ‘The Climate is Changing; How Can We?,’ with keynote speakers on the night, Ms Cara Augustenborg, (Environmental scientist), and Mr Gerard Kiely, (Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland).

There will also be a panel discussion afterwards, with panellists Mr Paul Kenny (CEO Tipperary Energy Agency) and Mr Gregg Allen (Project Manager, Community Power, Templederry), which will be chaired by Mr Fran Curry of Tipp FM Radio.

We are urging everybody to support this event. This talk is an opportunity for people to find out what they can do to make a difference, to ask questions and learn the facts about climate change; to make their voices heard on what is undoubtedly the single greatest challenge of this generation.”

€14 Million Public Funds Awarded To Firm Sued By Education Dept.

Western Building Systems, latter a company that built 42 schools, many of which have been found to have structural defects, has been awarded the contract to build a new ward block at the constantly over crowed University Hospital Limerick, which serves patients in the North Tipperary region.

RTE journalist Emma O’Kelly reports that the Health Service Executive (HSE), together with University Hospital Limerick, have both confirmed that, in May 2019 last, it awarded a contract for a new 60 bed ward block to Western Building Systems, at a cost of some €14 million, excluding VAT.

However, of the 42 schools previously built by this company; serious structural flaws, including breaches of fire safety had previously been uncovered at 23 of the school buildings since late last year. Only last week the Department of Education announced that similar structural defects had now been discovered during more recent investigations at a further 17 school buildings constructed by this company.

RTE’s reports that University Hospital Limerick confirms that this contract is now “under way and progressing well through the design development process”, with the essential new ward block expected to be completed by late 2020.

RTE understands that the Department of Education is presently pursuing legal action against Western Building Systems for the cost of remedying and the reversing of both the temporary and long-term building defects, which were discovered at the schools constructed by the company and which are expected to run into millions of Euro.

Student Leaving Cert Results Withheld By State Exams Commission

According to the State Examinations Commission (SEC) seventy one (71) students, who sat their Leaving Certificate examinations this year, have not been given full Leaving Cert results, following fears that they may be in breach of examination regulations.

Of the seventy one (71) results withheld, twenty (20) of same are suspended on a non-prejudicial basis, each pending further communication with both the candidates themselves and the various schools they attended.

A final decision in each case, currently listed, now remains open to appeal procedure.

The seventy one (71) cases withheld in 2019 relate comparatively with seventy two (72) such results which were permanently withheld in 2018. In 2017 fifty seven results were permanently withheld; an increase of fourteen when compared to current 2019 figures.

Results withheld can come about through the examiner detecting similar composition from more than one candidate, when correcting work from the same venue / exam centre or an examination superintendent discovering notes or paper aids being brought in by an exam candidate, thus attempting to cheat.