There has been little change in water quality indicators in 2025. Overall water quality remains unsatisfactory in many areas.
Excess nutrients from agriculture and wastewater remain the greatest challenge to water quality improvements, with phosphorous and nitrate levels still too high in many of our waters.
Some areas show improvements which is promising, but these are being offset by declines elsewhere. The scale and pace of implementation of actions to protect and restore water quality needs to be increased.
The message could not be clearer, and it should be a wake-up call for every community living beside a river in Ireland, including those of us along the River Suir.
The EPA’s Water Quality in 2025: An Indicators Report shows that there has been little change in water quality indicators in 2025, with overall water quality still unsatisfactory in many areas. Nutrient levels remain too high in a large proportion of water bodies, and slightly more than half; 54% of rivers and lakes are in good or better biological quality. So the question must be asked locally: why is the River Suir still being neglected? For the past 14 years, we have heard promises, plans, meetings, schemes, visits and announcements, but the visible condition of parts of the Suir, particularly around Thurles, remains totally unacceptable.
River Suir, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Pic: G. Willoughby.
On 25 May 2026, Tipp Mid West Radio reported that North Tipperary TD Mr Michael Lowry said he was submitting a funding application for works on the River Suir between Templemore and Ballycamas. That announcement is indeed welcome, but it also raises a very simple question: after so many years of concern about the condition of the Suir, why are we still at the stage of applications, announcements and proposed works?
We are also told that the Government has amended the Minor Works Scheme, that Tipperary County Council has been allocated €150,000 for river conveyance works, and that funding applications of up to €2 million may be made to cover remedial works. Mr Lowry has said he will work with Cllr Micheál Lowry to progress a plan for the River Suir, and Minister Kevin “Boxer” Moran is expected to visit Thurles to view the river’s condition. That is welcome, but it cannot become yet another photo opportunity, followed by another decade of delay.
The EPA is clear that excess nutrients from agriculture, wastewater and run-off remain the greatest challenge to improving water quality. It has also said that while some areas are improving, those gains are being offset by declines elsewhere, and that the scale and pace of action must increase.
LAWPRO is working across the wider River Suir catchment to reduce damaging discharges, while community groups and Rivers Trust initiatives are encouraging local people, landowners and stakeholders to get involved in protecting the Suir and its tributaries. That community involvement is important, but communities cannot do this alone.
The missing ingredient for the River Suir is not more talk, it is delivery.We need clear answers:
► What works will be carried out? ► When will they begin? ► Who is responsible for delivery? ► Has the funding application now been submitted? ► What section of the river will be prioritised first? ► How will pollution and damaging discharges be reduced? ► How will progress be measured and reported publicly?
River Suir, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Pic: G. Willoughby.
The River Suir is one of this region’s greatest natural assets. It should not be treated as an afterthought. Clean water supports biodiversity, public health, recreation, tourism, farming, fishing and local pride.
After 14 years of discussion, the people of Thurles and the wider Suir catchment area deserve more than statements of concern. They deserve action, visible funded and accountable.
Ireland must accelerate investment in reliable public transport and EV infrastructure to reduce emissions and exposure to fossil fuel shocks, says Climate Change Advisory Council.
Transport remains Ireland’s largest source of energy demand, accounting for 42.3% of total final energy demand in 2024 and 21.8% of national emissions.
Transport emissions fell by only 1.3% in 2024, while the sector is estimated to have exceeded its first sectoral emissions ceiling (2021-2025) and is projected to exceed its second sectoral emissions ceiling (2026-2030) if urgent action is not taken.
The Climate Change Advisory Council has warned that Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels in transport is leaving people, businesses, public services and the wider economy exposed to repeated fuel price shocks, as geopolitical instability continues to disrupt global energy markets.
Launching the Transport chapter of its Annual Review 2026 today, the Council said Ireland must reduce this exposure by accelerating investment in public transport, active travel, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the grid capacity needed to support cleaner transport.
The Council says recent temporary emergency responses to fuel price increases have not been sufficiently targeted. It recommends that Government addresses the regressive components of emergency measures and introduce targeted supports within the transport sector for those most exposed and least able to avoid fuel costs, while maintaining planned carbon tax increases and continuing to ring-fence revenues for climate action and a just transition.
The Council is calling for targeted measures to increase EV uptake among lower-income households, particularly in areas with limited access to public transport and high car dependency. The Government’s recent pilot ICE2EV grant to incentivise the purchase of new electric vehicles by owners of 13 year or older fossil fuel cars is welcome.
In the review, the Council also warns that Ireland needs to accelerate the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, including the real time mapping of EV charging points to give people and businesses confidence in the alternatives to fossil fuel use.
However, continued grid constraints and charging infrastructure gaps are hampering Ireland’s ability to fully embrace electric vehicles. Publicly accessible charging infrastructure remains well below the EU average, while further investment is needed to support the electrification of cars, buses, school transport and commercial fleets.
Public transport passenger journeys increased by 6% in 2025, with TFI Local Link services recording a 19% increase. However, largely unchanged passenger journey data across some bus, rail and Luas services may indicate that parts of the public transport system are operating close to capacity.
The Council is calling for increased funding for public transport and for existing Public Service Obligation services in Budget 2027. Accelerated delivery of priority projects such as DART+ South West, Luas Finglas and the National Transport Authority’s Park and Ride Investment Programme are necessary to increase capacity and to cater for the projected population growth in these areas. Ireland must deliver a modern, reliable and cost effective public transport system to encourage commuters out of their cars and onto lower emission alternatives.
The Council also warns that Ireland’s transport network must be made more resilient to extreme weather. Storm Chandra and prolonged rainfall in early 2026 exposed the vulnerability of road and rail infrastructure, underlining the need for climate risk to be built into transport planning, investment and design standards.
The Council is also calling for the updated National Ports Policy to be finalised and published, for greater investment in climate-resilient regional and local roads, and for vulnerable sections of the rail network to be assessed and climate-proofed.
Mr Alex White, (Chairperson of the Climate Change Advisory Council), said: “Fossil fuel shocks are not one-off events. As long as Ireland remains heavily dependent on petrol and diesel for transport, people, businesses and public services will remain exposed to global price volatility and geopolitical crises. The way to reduce that exposure is to give people real alternatives. That means sustained investment in public transport, a charging network people can rely on, and the grid capacity needed to support the switch to electric across cars, buses and commercial fleets. This transition also has to be fair. Supports should be targeted at those most exposed to transport fuel costs, particularly people on lower incomes and those who are car-dependent because they do not have access to practical alternatives. The Government has set the right ambition to end Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels, the test now is delivery.”
In the middle of a housing crisis, it is unacceptable that Tipperary County Council collected not one wafer-thin copper cent in derelict property tax in 2024.
Across the country, millions in derelict-site levies remain uncollected while homes lie idle, streets are blighted, and families continue to wait for secure housing. Tipperary was reportedly the only local authority in Munster not to collect any derelict property tax in 2024/25.
Even Tánaiste Mr Simon Harris has now acknowledged the failure, saying the new derelict property tax is being driven by frustration at the lack of action and that local authorities have not done enough to tackle dereliction. If Government itself can see the system is failing, then Tipperary County Council must explain why no derelict property tax was collected here in 2024 while so many people remain in housing need.
The derelicteyesore that is the Munster Hotel, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
This is not good enough. Derelict and vacant properties are not just an eyesore. They are a wasted public resource at a time when people are struggling to rent, young families cannot buy, and many are waiting years for social housing.
In Tipperary alone, 1,358 households were recorded in 2024 as qualifying for social housing support whose need was not being met. The latest homelessness figures also show 98 adults in emergency accommodation in Tipperary during one week in April 2026.
What are our sleepy Municipal District Councillors & Politicians doing to correct this situation?Answer – Absolutely Nothing. Every suitable derelict property should be identified, pursued, taxed where appropriate, and brought back into use. Where owners refuse to act, the Council should use every legal power available, including compulsory purchase orders where necessary.
A housing crisis demands action, not excuses. Tipperary needs enforcement, accountability, and urgency. Leaving homes idle while people are desperate for housing is indefensible.
We learn that the Government is preparing to introduce a new Derelict Property Tax across 107 cities and towns, with plans to expand it further to 171 locations.
The stated aim is to bring long-term derelict buildings back into use, restore communities and create more homes. On paper, few people would disagree with that goal. Dereliction is a blight on towns, villages and city streets across Ireland and here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, one only has to look at the Munster Hotel on Cathedral street, to fully understand the negligence in fulfilling same obligation.
Munster Hotel, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
But there is a bigger question here: how much more can people and property owners be taxed before Government admits that taxation has become its default answer to every problem? We already have property taxes, vacant property measures, levies, charges, stamp duty, planning costs, compliance costs and endless layers of bureaucracy. Now, once again, the solution being offered is yet another tax.
The new Derelict Property Tax will replace the current Derelict Sites Levy, which is charged at 7% of the market value of a property, and the new rate is expected not to be lower. In other words, this is not a light-touch measure. It is another significant financial burden, this time once again to be administered by Revenue.
Munster Hotel, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Of course, owners who deliberately allow buildings to rot, while communities suffer should be held accountable. No one wants to see usable homes and buildings left idle during a housing crisis. But the Government must also recognise that not every derelict property is being held by a wealthy investor or speculator. Some are tied up in probate, in legal disputes, planning delays, lack of services, structural costs, family circumstances or impossible refurbishment expenses.
Punishing everyone with another tax risks missing the real issue. Ireland does not need a Government that simply keeps finding new things to tax. It needs a Government that removes barriers, speeds up planning, supports realistic refurbishment, cuts red tape and makes it financially possible to bring properties back into use. Success should not be measured by how much money Revenue collects. It should be measured by how many buildings are restored, how many homes are created and how many communities are revived.
If this tax becomes just another revenue stream, then it will be another example of a Government that taxes first and solves later.
Kickham Street Crossing Danger; Residents Say Road Safety Works Must Be Finished Before Someone Is Seriously Injured
Residents of Kickham Street, Thurles, are calling for urgent action from Thurles Municipal District Council over what they believe has become a serious and growing danger to pedestrians, particularly older people, people with disabilities, and those who are visually impaired or blind.
Several tactile slabbed and paved areas were installed on Kickham Street last year, apparently to assist visually impaired and blind pedestrians when crossing the road. However, residents say that these areas, on their own, are not enough. They do little or nothing to slow down traffic, and in the absence of clear road markings, painted lines, or properly designated crossing areas, many drivers appear to be treating the improved street surface as an invitation to increase speed.
Section of Tactile Slabbed Paved Area with Associated Proflo Access Cover.
This is especially noticeable during the late evening and night-time, when traffic speeds are reported to be significantly higher and visibility is reduced. For local residents trying to cross the road, especially elderly people, what should be a simple daily task has become a frightening and dangerous ordeal.
The tactile paving may help identify a crossing point underfoot, but it does not by itself control traffic, slow vehicles, or clearly warn drivers that pedestrians are likely to cross at these points. Without completed road markings and visible crossing designations, pedestrians are left exposed, and motorists are given no clear visual instruction to reduce speed or behave with caution.
Residents are now asking a very simple question: why were these works started but not properly finished? The situation is made even more concerning by the presence of Proflo access covers, measuring approximately 450 × 450 mm, located near the tactile slabbed areas. These covers were presumably installed to provide access to underground utilities while maintaining the continuity and visual safety of the tactile paving. Yet they now appear dormant, adding to residents’ concerns that this scheme has been left incomplete or neglected.
This is not a cosmetic issue. It is a road-safety issue. It is a pedestrian-safety issue. It is a disability-access issue. Most importantly, it is a potential danger-to-life issue.
Residents in the area have therefore come together to sign a petition requesting that Thurles Municipal District Council immediately complete the necessary painting of lines and road markings between the tactile slabbed areas already installed last year. These markings are needed to clearly designate safe crossing areas, alert drivers to pedestrian movement, and help regulate driver behaviour before a serious accident occurs.
Tipperary County Council’s own road-safety approach recognises the need to prevent fatalities and serious injuries, and local authorities have powers to provide traffic-calming measures such as road markings, signs, modified surfaces and other interventions to reduce speed and improve safety.
Kickham Street residents are not asking for anything unreasonable. They are asking for the job to be finished. They are asking for safe, visible, properly marked pedestrian crossing areas. They are asking that elderly residents, visually impaired pedestrians, children, and all local people be able to cross the road without fear.
The longer this issue is left unresolved, the greater the risk. Action is needed now, not after someone is injured.
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