It is back on Co. Tipperary’s Planning agenda once, more after a gap of almost 10 years. View HERE. Planning permission is being sought for a 24,500 ton waste recycling facility to be positioned close to a large cluster of private residential housing, close to Thurles town centre.
Cabra Business Park, Ballycurrane, Thurles, County Tipperary. Photo: George Willoughby.
The following application has been published in the Nenagh Guardian Newspaper which reads as follows: –
We, Ryan Cleaning Event Specialists Ltd, wish to apply to the above authority for full planning permission to construct the following: (a) A single storey material recovery and transfer facility building (of floor area 1031m. sq.); (b) A single storey detached prefabricated office building (of floor area 60m. sq.) with signage on both buildings; (c) Vehicular access to the site is via the, as constructed existing entrance; (d) A service yard with vehicle weighbridge and vehicle washing area with the site; (e) On-site staff and visitor car parking and truck parking areas; (f) All necessary ancillary site development works to facilitate this development, with boundary treatment and landscaping; (g) All associated site work consisting of petrol interceptor and silt traps and connection to existing septic tank and upgraded percolation area, with all associated site works, at Cabra Business Park, Ballycurrane, Thurles, County Tipperary. The application relates to an activity requiring a waste facility permit from Tipperary County Council, the waste tonnage for acceptance and handling at the facility will not exceed 24,500 tonnes per annum.
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application.
The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without condition or may refuse to grant permission.
Angry residents of the town, point out that for some reason, no planning application (they claim), has been published, to-date, on the Thurles local newspaper the “Tipperary Star”.
We expect to be publishing more on this issue in the coming weeks.
Motorists using the minor, long ignored, Yellow Lough Road (R659) this morning, running south west of Thurles Town, linking the village of Holycross and Pouldine School Junction with Thurles, are asked to please take great care.
Yellow Lough road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, last evening.
Yesterday evening at dusk, the area close to Cabragh Bridge was extremely flooded, the flood water having burst through a ditch unto the roadway carrying with it, assorted debris including stones.
After tonight’s heavy rain, do expect the worst. (See picture above).
River Suir, Cabragh Bridge, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, last evening.
As can be seen in the picture directly above; further on, the farm lands either side of Cabragh Bridge, on yesterday evening, were also heavily under water, badly flooded by a slow moving and for many years, a choked River Suir.
So again, do remain alert travelling in this area.
It was announced today that eleven Tipperary projects are to be included for funding, announced under the ‘Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme’.
The total funding announced for the county was €200,000, none of which was allocated to Thurles Town.
Just so as non local people fully understand; The Grange Loop, who bears the Thurles postal address, and who were rightly gifted €20,000; refers I believe to the lovely Grange Crag loop walk trailhead, in the Civil Parish of Kilcooly, Co. Tipperary, close to the Kilkenny border, latter a 21 minute drive from Thurles town, 21.5 km / 13.25 mls from Thurles, via the N75 minor road. [Surely, it hardly refers to the townslands of Grange, on the N62, (Brittas Road, Thurles. )]
No effort was made to get funding for the “Double Ditch” Mass Path, latter situated between the Mill Road, Thurles and College Lane in the town. But then our politicians and county councillors didn’t notify us, regarding any available government funding worthy of being sought.
We first raised issues regarding fly-tipping on the Great Famine “Double Ditch” on lands either side of same, owned by Tipperary Co. Council, on October 28th, 2019. ViewHERE.
Every official, local councillor and local politician were advised.
Today, some 15 months later, not one solitary item dumped back then, was ever removed.
See slide show hereunder, compiled from views captured in recent days.
On site today, (19th January 2021) the stolen shopping trolleys have doubled, so also the paper and other plastic litter, the discarded toys, the beer cans, and the bottles, the burnt household items, the cookers and fridges, the gym equipment, etc. etc. etc. All three original sweet crab trees, and some mature Hawthorn trees, have now been either burnt on site or cut down for firewood.
We are reminiscent of a town that refuses to pay Local Property Tax(LPT) and a town devoid of any real quality political or official leadership. The new council housing project being built on a flood plane and running parallel, is using the Double Ditch to drain flood water unto the ditch and through it, unto the land on the other side.
Yet the local people though solidly offended, stay silent, realising, not for the first time, that they are powerless in the face of constant political pretence and official deceipt and hogwash.
_______________________________________________
By the way, we received two communications relating to the Great Famine ‘Double Ditch’ in recent weeks. To refresh your memory, view links to read past such communications HERE.
The first recent communication came from Tipperary Fianna Fáil Councillor, Mr Sean Ryan.
Councillor Ryan confirmed in a Facebook private message in recent weeks, “I did enquire George, but still haven’t a definitive answer. When I do, I’ll let you know.” My question had been, “Is the Thurles inner relief road going to effect the Double Ditch”.
Note: This last question above was first asked originally in May 2020, over 8 months ago.
If Councillor Ryan’s answer is truly the case, it would appear that Tipperary Council officials are also refusing to communicate with all elected representatives; since all elected representatives, contacted by me, remain silent on this issue.
This is despite being instructed to communicate with me by Tipperary Co. Council’s ‘Ethics Registrar‘, namely Mr. David Coleman, (Administrative Officer, Corporate Services), who contacted all Councillors, yet same continue to openly resist and refuse to obey his instructions, thus fully ignoring their required Code of Conduct, demanded under the Local Government Act of 2001.
Note: An email message does not carry Covid-19 virus infection.
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The second communication arrived from Ms Máire Ní Chonghaile (National Monuments Service) on Christmas Eve last, 24th Dec. 2020, at 10:11am.
Ms Máire Ní Chonghaile wrote: –
Dear Mr Willoughby I refer further to your email below. The Double Ditch is not a Recorded Monument and it is not afforded legal protection under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2014. The concerns raised appear to relate to planning and development, which is a matter for the Local Authority. Wishing you a happy Christmas. Kind regards Máire
Allowing for Christmas leave etc, I replied to Ms Máire Ní Chonghaile on Wednesday night, 13th January 2020 at 20:46, as follows: –
To Ms Máire Ní Chonghaile Madam, I am saddened to note that your office has obviously not read anything that I sent to your department, in the last year. I am fully aware this is not a recorded monument. The reason I wrote to you in the first place was for you to investigate my claim and have it declared such, thus, affording legal protection under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2014.
Perhaps I need to clarify this issue in simpler terms.
On Tue, 12 Nov 2019, 13:40, I contacted Ms Roisin O’Grady (roisin.ogrady@tipperarycoco.ie). Latter is Heritage Officer with Tipperary County Council at Ballingarrane House, Cahir road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, To Ms Roisin O’Grady, In keeping with Tipperary County Councils promise to “promote awareness and appreciation of our rich heritage and to protect and enhance it for future generations” may I request that you take time to view the following link: – http://www.thurles.info/2019/10/28/thurles-double-ditch/.
Remembering that next year (2021) is the 175 year in which we commemorate the ‘Great Famine’; the images in the slide show provided by the link shows clearly that among other improprieties and illegalities, barbed wire has been recently introduced on a public monument, on a public right-of-way which is also formerly a ‘Mass Path’ and was one of the first projects undertaken to assist in feeding the poor of Thurles. The slide show demonstrates clear evidence of neglect, vandalism and a convenient land grab by land owners on either side, latter reducing the width of the pathway to one of single file.
Yours sincerely George Willoughby
I briefly met with the said Ms O’Grady at 2.30pm on the Great Famine Double Ditch in Thurles on 22nd Nov. 2019 and requested that she contact the National Monument section, regarding the need to declare this area, itself, a national monument.
Correspondence from Ms O’Grady came dated Thur, 27th Feb. 2020, at 16:08.
It read: – George A quick line just to say I haven’t forgotten about your query, but there has been a lot of applications due in the last few weeks so I am slower than expected tracking down the necessary information. I will revert in due course once I have some information for you.
Regards Róisín O’Grady
This was the last communication I ever had from Ms O’Grady, despite contacting her office on several occasions.
Note: The great famine double ditch is being totally ignored, despite Tipperary Co. Council owning the land on either side.
I have since discovered, based on documentation obtained from Tipperary Co. Council offices, that Tipperary Co. Council intend to demolish this ‘Double Ditch’ to provide an inner relief road for the town. Ms O’Grady’s silence perhaps is being controlled by someone or something that is much more powerful.
A copy of an Archaeological Survey (See attached) is grossly misleading. Note: The Great Famine Double Ditch is totally and I believe deliberately ignored within this document, despite Tipperary Co. Council owning the land on either side.
Perhaps you could confirm also, if Ms O’Grady ever contacted your office, seeking legal protection for the Great Famine, Double Ditch, under the National Monuments Acts, which was requested by me in November 2019 or do we have a case of the tail(namely Tipperary Co. Council) wagging the dog(Tipperary’s own Co. Council Heritage Office ).
In all, now to-date, 16 persons, including senior Co. Council officials, e.g Mr Joe MacGrath (CE, Tipperary Co. Council);4 Teachtaí Dála; two of which support this present government here in Co. Tipperary, [namely MrMichael Lowry and Mr Jackie Cahill, Minister Malcolm Noonan, (latter Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform), and Minister Darragh O’Brien, (latter Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage), all of whom have failed to answer the simple question; “Will the planned Thurles inner relief road impinge, in a negative way, on the 1846 Thurles ‘Double Ditch’, which has been a “Right of Way” and a “Mass Path” for almost 175 years and which is the property of the people of Thurles Town?”
The seeds and grain firm Germinal Holdings, founded in 1825; latter which supplies high-grade grass seeds, fertilisers and wild flowers for use in agriculture and sports arenas, has made the decision to move its operational base from Banbridge, Co. Down, to relocate at its existing premises at Thurles Road, Ballytarsna, Horse & Jockey, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Their decision comes as part of a wider strategy to further improve their operational efficiency.
While their decision will see a transfer of its head office function to Belfast, Co. Antrim, its operational base will be in Thurles, where Germinal has already invested heavily in a new production and distribution facility.
Employing 81 staff; the company had sales of £27.6 million and grew profits of £5.2 million during its last trading year.
The company are accelerating their investment in digital and e-commerce technologies, which is seen as major growth opportunity for their business.
Germinal Holdings presently remain the largest family-owned seed firm in the UK and Ireland.
Investigating the long-term impacts of everyday decisions is at heart of EPA second-level schools’ competition.
The EPA today launched The Story of Your Stuff, a competition which challenges students to investigate the life cycle of their everyday ‘stuff’ through a creative medium, considering the entirety of the item’s life cycle.
Students are encouraged to use the EPA’s Ireland’s Environment website, www.epa.ie/irelandsenvironment/ as a main resource to assist their research.
The Story of Your Stuff asks students to address climate issues with creativity, and also awards a special prize for Irish language entries.
Students are encouraged to consider answers to questions of environmental sustainability raised during pandemic.
Closing date for entries is Monday, 8th March 2021.
The EPA today launched The Story of Your Stuff, a competition aimed at secondary school students, which seeks to empower young people to make environmentally conscious decisions about their everyday ‘stuff’ and activities. Entrants are tasked with researching the life cycle of an everyday item or environmental impact of an activity, and creatively telling its story through a visual medium.
Last year’s winners were Caoimhe Higgins and Katherine from St. Andrews College, Booterstown, Dublin who made a video on the story of soap, shown in video above.
Now in its fifth year, the competition brings together curiosity, creativity and science, and aims to get young people thinking about sustainability, climate action and environmental protection, spread the word among their friends and family and make lasting and impactful changes.
Entrants will be in with a chance to win €500 for themselves and €500 for their school. An additional ‘climate topic prize’ will be awarded to the entry that best addresses and incorporates specific climate considerations, including carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, to recognising a yearly increase in the number of Irish language entries received to the competition, a special prize for the best project delivered in Irish has been introduced.
Speaking at the launch of the competition, EPA Programme Manager, Dr Jonathan Derham said: “The EPA’s recently published State of the Environment Report highlights that the overall quality of Ireland’s environment is not what it should be, and the outlook is not optimistic unless we accelerate the implementation of solutions across all sectors and society. How and what we consume can directly negatively impact our environment. We need to understand these pressures and work to embrace more sustainable consumption behaviours.
The Story of Your Stuff offers young people almost limitless opportunities to explore how everyday decisions have far-reaching impacts on our environment. Moreover, against the backdrop of school closures due to COVID-19, The Story of Your Stuff is an ideal project to undertake from home, and for students to work on remotely with their classmates. I would encourage all second-level students and teachers to enter this year’s competition.”
Last year’s inaugural Climate Topic Prize winner was Lana Mitchel from Coolmine Community School, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 who created a video on the story of paper, shown above.
Astronaut ambassador
This year, the EPA has enlisted the support of aeronautical engineer, citizen scientist-astronaut candidate and award-winning STEM advocate, Dr Norah Patten as the competition ambassador for The Story of Your Stuff.
Dr Patten said: “As an advocate of participation in STEM, I’m encouraged by The Story of Your Stuff and am delighted to take up the role of ambassador for this year’s competition. Here, young people have the opportunity to bring their commitment to climate action and apply it to help influence environmentally-conscious decisions. I look forward to seeing how students immerse themselves in their chosen topic and go about presenting their findings in a creative and digestible way, with the aim of influencing behavioural change. I wish all entrants and their teachers the best of luck.”
For a third year, The Story of Your Stuff has partnered with UCD, which will host a finale event in April.
Director of the Earth Institute at UCD, Professor Tasman Crowe said: “UCD is delighted to once again support the EPA in delivering this initiative. The Story of Your Stuff has the potential to inspire the scientists of the future and is an important tool through which students develop the skills used by scientists and other researchers. Research has a huge role to play in protecting our planet and I hope students are inspired by the initiative to consider future studies in science and sustainability.”
Remember Competition guidelines and tips are available HERE and the deadline for entries is Monday, 8th March 2021.
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