Note: If you type “Thurles” into your internet browser, most likely you will find Thurles.Info top of page 1. [And why not since it has been visited almost 2.5 million times since its conception. Yes, no political Facebook accounts featuring on page 1]. So, it is here we offer you the opportunity to further your political careers and causes, while further introducing yourself to your adoring public, while promising to publish your correspondence in full.
However, with regards to our internet ranking, let us set our personal satisfaction aside, and point out that we truly are more interested in drawing your attention to the feature, which is being highlighted above us at the top of Google’s page 1, entitled Top things to do in Thurles. (Click HEREor view our clarifying picture hereunder).
This is the level of pollution this evening, just 50 metres from Thurles Town Park and 60 metres from Liberty Square.
Top things to do in Thurles Of the four sites highlighted, you will note that two of the visitor sites recommendation are within the Town of Thurles, while Holycross Abbey is 7.0 km(4.3496mls) outside and Killahara Castle; not a visitor centre, is 10.4 km(6.46226mls), outside the town.
But look on the bright side, we have two visitor site recommendation within our town. (1) Thurles Cathedral: Currently free to enter, Thurles Cathedral comes highly recommend as a place to visit, by all Tourists entering the town. (2) Thurles Town Park: Was Thurles town park built as a tourist attraction? In my mind it’s doubtful, but let us for a brief moment fantasize. With a star rating of just one, “the bookworm hotel”, (latter badly in need of a spell checker) refers to our leading Thurles Town Park attraction as:- “Terrible. I think this place really needs to crack down on the gangs at night. Two people were actacked (attacked) while walking at night. Teens smoke here after school clear as day with no chance of being caught. This a hotspot for bad things . As a park it is frankly too small and needs more stuff to go on as it can be packed after school and kids need things to do . More playground sites are needed and rules more inforced (enforced)” .
Questions: (A) Who would build a town park for tourists beside the most polluted river area in Co. Tipperary; highlighting it as a tourist attraction? [See picture above today 50 metres from the park, where children today were brought to play.] (B) What is the substance currently and consistently being poured into our river Suir? Who is investigating and when can a prosecution be taken through the court system? (C) Having read most of the glossy political brochures which were pushed through my letterbox, as part of your begging / canvassing campaign, I am shocked to note that tourism remains totally absent from all your brochures and therefore your future aspirations. Once again, footfall on Liberty Square, to you is not, after all, a real priority.
It is the opinion of most people to whom I have spoken in recent days, that absolutely nothing has been achieved by those who were elected 5 years ago. The suggestion is now that perhaps we should indicate our choice in favour of new candidates, giving them a chance to undertake badly needed change, which you as elected representatives have failed dismally to implement.
Your comments please.
Yours faithfully, George Willoughby
PS: All correspondence will be verified with candidates before being published.
WEEE Ireland [ Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment] will be collecting, free of charge, old and broken electrical appliances from 4 venues, here in Co. Tipperary in the weeks ahead,.
Remember WEEE material is anything with a plug normally attached. They will accept: TVs and their Aerials, Radios, Microwaves, IT Equipment, Printers, Dishwashers, Cookers, Fridges, Freezers, Power Tools, Vacuum Cleaners, Battery Operated Toys, Electric Toothbrushes, Kettles, Toasters, Batteries and other associated items.
TEMPLEMORE: Saturday May 25th 2019. Collection Venue: The Mart Car Park. Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm.
CARRICK-ON-SUIR: Saturday June 1st 2019. Collection Venue: Carrick Swans GAA Club, Fairgreen Car Park. Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm.
CAHIR: Saturday June 8th 2019. Collection Venue: The Mart Car Park. Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm.
Again, please do remember this is a completely FREE service, which should eliminates any temptation to dump illegally in this our most beautiful of Irish counties; Co. Tipperary.
New radiation protection legislation now requires all employers, in high radon areas, to test their workplace for the radioactive gas ‘Radon‘. Where levels are above the national reference level of 300 Becquerel per metre cubed, employers are then required to carry out work to ensure the reduction of these levels.
The above Radon Map (Click Here To View In More Detail) has five categories: less than 1%, 1 to 5%, 5 to 10%, 10 to 20% and greater than 20%. If you live in an area designated as ‘greater than 20%’, this means that more than 20%(1 in 5) homes in that grid square are likely to have radon concentrations above the Reference Level.
At today’s National Radon Forum, attendees heard from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) about the requirements of this new legislation.
Details on protocol for measurement of Radon in homes & workplaces can be downloaded HERE
Speaking at today’s National Radon Forum Ms Laura Burke, (EPA Director General), said: “In Ireland, up to 300 cases of lung cancer each year are linked to Radon, which is a serious public health hazard. Employers now have responsibility to ensure that their employees are protected from exposure to this radioactive gas. Radon testing in workplaces is simple and inexpensive and, where necessary, reducing high radon levels in a building is also straightforward. The EPA and the HSA are working in partnership to support employers in implementing this legislation.”
Yvonne Mullooly, (Assistant Chief Executive, from the Health & Safety Authority) welcomed the new legislation stating: “In addition to the existing general duties on employers to address radioactive hazards, this new legislation provides employers with clear testing requirements for radon gas in their workplaces. The Authority looks forward to continued collaboration with the EPA in highlighting radon gas exposure in workplaces and supporting the ongoing work of the National Radon Control Strategy Co-ordination Group. Our inspectors will continue to raise awareness during their inspections of the potential for radon gas exposures and the need for appropriate risk assessments. We will continue to support employers by providing information and through our on-line risk assessment tool BeSMART www.BeSMART.ie, which includes radon as a hazard.”
Phase two of the National Radon Control Strategy is also being launched today at the 15th National Radon Forum in Dublin. Attendees will hear about the Government’s Strategy to tackle radon over the next 5 years and the research that is needed to support this work.
The EPA radon team are available to answer your queries at Email: radon@epa.ie or Tel: 1800 300 600.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report on 2017 emission levels for the five main air pollutants.
These figures show that ammonia emissions increased by 2% cent in 2017. The trend in increasing ammonia emissions is projected to continue out to 2030. Emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds also increased. Ireland is projected to exceed the 2030 emission ceiling for this pollutant. While emissions of nitrogen oxides decreased in 2017, emissions are projected to be non-compliant with national limits in 2030. Emissions of two other air pollutants; sulphur dioxide and particulate matter, decreased in 2017. These pollutants are projected to remain compliant with national limits, provided planned measures are implemented.
The EPA today published figures for emissions of five key air pollutants. These pollutants impact environment and health contributing to respiratory problems and pollution of soil, surface water and vegetation. These pollutants are: ammonia, non-methane volatile organic compounds, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
This latest information from the EPA shows that ammonia emissions increased by 2% in 2017, which followed a 5% increase in 2016. Agriculture dominates emissions of ammonia, which arise from the decomposition of animal manures and the application of fertiliser. This trend in increasing emissions is projected to continue out to 2030.
In addition, emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds showed an increase in 2017. These pollutants arise from the food and beverage industry and the storage and handling of animal manures and synthetic fertilisers. Non-methane volatile organic compound emissions are projected to increase slightly to 2030 as the gains from switching to less polluting sources are outweighed by increased economic activity and population growth. Ireland is therefore projected to exceed the more challenging 2030 non-methane volatile organic compounds emission ceiling, despite being in compliance for 2020.
Dr Eimear Cotter, (Director of Office of Environmental Sustainability) said: “Our figures show that ammonia levels are on an upward trend, in tandem with increased agricultural production, and that they breached national limits in 2016 and 2017. This has implications for air and water quality.The National Air Pollution and Control Programme, currently out for public consultation, will need to address these emissions particularly as they are projected to increase further to 2030. The underlying driver for these emissions is the application of more animal manure to soils — mostly as an organic fertiliser — and the increase in the use of inorganic fertilisers. Options to increase efficiencies and reduce fertiliser use will need to be implemented at farm level.”
Emissions of other air pollutants – sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter – decreased in 2017. This reflects a general downward trend in emissions since 1990 reflecting the impact of fuel switching from coal and peat to natural gas, penetration of renewables and technology improvements. Looking to the future, however, while sulphur dioxide and particulate emissions are projected to remain compliant with substantially lower national limits in 2030, provided planned measures are implemented, this is not envisaged to be the case for nitrogen oxide emissions. Nitrogen oxide emissions are projected to be non-compliant with national limits in 2030, with the transport sector projected to continue to be a key source of emissions.
Stephen Treacy, (EPA Senior Manager) said: “We have seen the positive impact of a range of policy measures and regulatory interventions since 1990 which are particularly evident in declining sulphur dioxide and particulate emissions. Fuel switching and the move to more renewables has brought dividends in terms of cleaner air, with effective regulatory intervention from the EPA also playing a role. It is important that this good work is not reversed in the context of a growing economy. Further measures are needed to meet national limits in the period from now to 2030, particularly for the pollutants ammonia, nitrogen oxides and non-methane volatile organic compounds”.
For further detail on these figures, see the EPA web published report “Ireland’s Air Pollutant Emissions 1990-2030” available HERE
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