Environment « Thurles Information

Thurles, Co. Tipperary Councillor Fails In Her Environmental Responsibility.

While we as residents of Tipperary congratulate and laud the magnificent achievements; the talent and the skills of “Ronan and The Tipperary Team”, against Cork, back on Sunday July 20th last; one person in our midst has sought to abuse their position in Thurles, in search of self-glorification.

The phrase “Ignorance of the law is no excuse” is a legal principle, also known as “ignorantia juris non excusat”, meaning a person cannot escape liability for violating a law, by simply claiming they did not know about it.
If people could avoid responsibility by claiming ignorance, same would undermine the very rule of law itself, thus making it impossible to enforce, fairly, every person’s legal obligations within the State.
The law therefore expects a reasonably prudent person, regardless of their standing in society, to understand and abide by their societal roles, duties, and responsibilities.

This stated, one specific reserved function of elected Irish County Councillors is to approve policies with regards to environmental protection, especially at this time in our history. However, it appears this rule does not apply to one elected councillor, Cllr Kay Cahill-Skehan, latter a resident of Thurles town.

Time and time again in Thurles certain people seeking either election, or self-glorification, continue to damage our trees on roads leading into our town.

**Environmental Responsibility “More honoured in the breach than the observance”**.
*Pics: G. Willoughby*.

Damaging public trees in Ireland is a criminal offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1991 and the Forestry Act 2014, carrying both severe penalties and fines.
The severity of such penalties depends on the nature and extent of the damage, with severe penalties for offences under the Criminal Damage Act.
Local authorities can impose compensation charges for damage to council-owned trees. These trees in question shown in the photographs above, (and one, not shown, existing on the Nenagh road) are all council-owned; paid for by the former North Tipperary Co. Council and sown by Thurles Tidy Towns Committee members, some 30 years ago, in the autumn of 1995.

The tree on the Dublin road has no fewer than 13 tech screws driven deep into its bark to hold up this egotistical and narcissistic sign.
The primary purpose of a tech screw is to fasten metal without needing to drill a pilot hole. They achieve this function by way of a specialized drill-point tip which allows it to drill, tap and secure the screw in one single motion, thus saving time and effort by eliminating the need for a separate pre-drilling process.

Relevant Legislation and Offences
Criminal Damage Act 1991: This act covers damaging property, including public trees, without lawful excuse.
Forestry Act 2014: This act addresses offences related to unlawful tree felling and damage.
Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs): Local authorities can issue TPOs to protect trees on amenity grounds, preventing their removal or damage without consent.

Penalties and Consequences.
Fines: Fines can be substantial, with the Forestry Act 2014 setting penalties up to €25,000 for certain offences.
Local Councils can levy a compensation charge to cover the cost of damage to council-owned trees.
Prosecution: An Garda Síochána can prosecute under the Criminal Damage Act 1991 for damage to council-owned trees.

How to Report Damage or Check Tree Status.
Contact Local Authority: To report damage to a council-owned tree, contact the Planning Department of your local County Council. The posters have been in place for some 8 weeks, with no effort whatsoever to remove same.

The matter has now been reported to Thurles Municipal District Council officials to take necessary action.

Free E-Waste Collection Day In Thurles Tomorrow September 6th.

Tipperary householders are being encouraged to take part in a free electronic waste collection event, which takes place tomorrow, Saturday September 6th.

The collection, hosted as usual by WEEE Ireland, in partnership with Tipperary County Council, will take place at the Mid Tipperary Co-Op Mart, Cabra Road, Ballycarrane, Thurles, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Householders are invited as usual to bring along any items with a plug, battery or cable. This includes everything from large household appliances such as washing machines and TVs to smaller items like IT equipment, cables, toasters, kettles, electronic tools, toys, cables, mobile phones, remote controls, batteries (including farm fence batteries), and watches.

Last year, the people of Tipperary made a strong contribution to e-waste recycling, with 1,547 tonnes of electrical waste collected. On average, 9.2kg of e-waste per person was recycled across the county; just shy of the WEEE Ireland collection area average of 9.5kg per person.

The organisers are urging the public to continue this positive trend by taking advantage of the free collection day tomorrow, so do check your sheds and garages and get rid of your electronic clutter.

EPA Confirms Tipperary Co. Council Responsible For Thurles River Pollution.

In an email received by Thurles.Info this morning from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) it has now been confirmed that Tipperary Co. Council are directly responsible for failure to protect the River Suir from pollution.

The email reply in its entirety reads: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acknowledges receipt on 30/08/2025 of your correspondence with regard to the alleged pollution of the river Suir and perceived lack of action by Tipperary County Council and other authorities as listed by you. Our Ref. COM021813.

The remit of the EPA allows us to support complainants by ensuring local authorities give due consideration to every complaint received from all members of the public and uphold their obligations under environmental protection legislation. We do not have the same enforcement remit with regard to the other authorities listed by you, but do report complaints and concerns to all with the aim of highlighting issues of environmental impact and working together to resolve issues, where possible.

Tipperary County Council has responsibility for dealing with the issues described in your correspondence.

The EPA would like to forward a copy of your correspondence to Tipperary County Council for their attention, action, and direct response to you.

In order to allow them to respond to you, we will need to share your contact information with them. Please confirm in a reply to this email if you consent (for data protection GDPR compliance purposes) to the EPA sharing your contact information with the Council.

Please note, a referral from the EPA obliges the local authority to log the complaint, open a case file, investigate the matter and report back to the complainant (you in this instance) as to any assessment and/or action planned or taken.

I trust you will find this of assistance“
Signed: Programme Officer – Complaints Unit, Office of Environmental Enforcement, Wexford.

My reply To the EPA sent today is as follows:
“Thank you for your quick reply to my communication received today.
I confirm that I have no objection to the EPA sharing my contact information with Tipperary Co. Council. However, I fear by doing so you will receive little response.

I have contacted Tipperary Co. Council on numerous occasions over the past 5 years and all I ever receive is automated responses from secretaries.

My last contact with Tipperary Co. Council was just one week ago. A standard reply came back stating that my complaint would be forwarded to the relevant environmental department. I have heard nothing since.

This morning a survey of the area undertaken by me has revealed little or nothing has changed in the past 7 days. Ladies’ clothing previously dumped on the river bank, has received further contributions. (See picture shown above).
To their shame, no effort has been made by local Thurles Municipal District Council officials or by elected councillors either.
The smell of sewage is about the same. Two more Supermarket Trolleys and one plastic chair have been added to the now stagnant waterway. (See picture shown hereunder).

Please send me a copy of all/any communications forwarded to Tipperary Co. Council, regarding the present state of the River Suir in Thurles, including that using my contact information.

Please find (shown here above) pictures attached; which further highlight this pressing issue.

I remain
Yours sincerely, etc.

So where do we go from here?
It would appear that we, as residence of Thurles, have lost total control of our area and a commitment by our local authority to involve themselves in a public consultation process, no longer exists.
While elected councillors are aware of Tipperary Co. Council’s official’s plans, same are not being shared with their electorate.
Some 300 metres away from this current stench ridden River Suir; a building is being upgraded and due to come on line in December 2025; same reconstructed at a cost of €3.4 million euro of taxpayers money, courtesy of the Rural Regeneration & Development Fund (RRDF).
Through this taxpayer-funded venture, Tipperary County Council will collect about €21,000 in yearly rental income.
Instead of focusing on its duty to represent the local community, Tipperary Co. Council has positioned itself as a competitor to already existing, tax and ratepaying businesses; yet enjoys an unfair advantage by sidestepping the significant setup expenses that other ordinary businesses are obliged to pay.
We await Tipperary County Councils reply.

New Storm Names Revealed For 2025–26 Weather Season.

Twenty one New ‘Storm Names’ have been revealed for the 2025–26 weather season.

The new list, chosen entirely from public submissions, also honours cultural figures, loved ones – and even heavy snorers.

Same will be used in the following order:-Amy, Bram, Chandra, Dave, Eddie, Fionnuala, Gerard, Hannah, Isla, Janna, Kasia, Lilith, Marty, Nico, Oscar, Patrick, Ruby, Stevie, Tadhg, Violet and finally, Wubbo.

The second storm of the season will carry a Gothic twist; “Bram,” selected in honour of Dublin-born ‘Dracula’ author Bram Stoker.

More than 50,000 suggestions were sent to Met Éireann, the English Met Office and the Dutch weather service KNMI, for the upcoming season, which begins from today Monday September 1st until August 31st 2026. Each of the three respective meteorological services has contributed seven names to this season’s list and this is the first time all three organisations have relied solely on names submitted by the public. In all more than 10,000 names were received from 4,137 members of the public.

The naming of upcoming storms has proven benefits by raising awareness and helping to save lives since the scheme began in 2015. Naming storms isn’t just about giving them a label; it is about making sure people take notice. When a storm has a name, it becomes easier for the media and public to talk about it; share information; stay safe and in many cases prepare.

This year, which marks 10 years since the storm naming programme began, some of the chosen names carry personal or light-hearted connections.

‘Amy‘ was the most popular submission, with many associating it with loved ones.
‘Dave‘ was suggested as a tribute to “my beloved husband who can snore three times louder than any storm.”
‘Stevie‘ was inspired by singer Stevie Nicks, who famously sang “Oh, thunder only happens when it’s raining” in Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams.

Before compiling the final list, officials considered pronunciation, cultural meaning and whether a name might be somehow controversial.

Last season, 2024–25, saw six named storms; same fewer than the record of 12 experienced the year before.

Note: In line with international convention, the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are not used in the list.
Storms named by other countries keep their names if they reach British, Irish or Dutch shores.

Update: Pollution of River Suir In Thurles Town Centre.

The following reply was received from Tipperary Co. Council, following a formal complaint having been made by this website, last Thursday. The complaint referred to the pollution of the River Suir over the past 12 years.

The Reply Reads:-
Dear George,
Thank you for your e-mail regarding Pollution of River Suir in Thurles.
I have forwarded your e-mail to Environment Section for their attention and direct reply to you.
Should you wish to follow up on this case, please contact Customer Service Desk quoting reference number ENV-11308-F6L3.

The formal complaint was sent to Tipperary Co. Council, when this website received confirmation that Tipperary Co. Council and Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), and the Office of Public Works would object to local volunteers attempting to improve the general appearance of the area.
Work would have involved the removal of discarded clothing; bottles; cans; weeds; plastic bollards, wooden pallets, rushes, bags of sand and a mountain of sediment, currently clogging the area from Barry’s Bridge to the area south of the Swinging Gates, same a poorly lit spot where persons gather regularly to partake in alcohol consumption.

WE have also formally complained to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) info@epa.ie, asking the question; “Does the EPA have any real teeth or are they like LAWPRO, latter simply passing information, same to land on other departmental desks, where seated are people who refuse to be motivated?
The EPA were also asked if they held the power to prosecute local authorities?

We now await a reply from the EPA, which we will publish here, in full, on receipt of same.

Pass It On Down.

**Randy Owen, Lead singer with ‘Alabama’**

Vocals: American Country Music band Alabama.
Lyrics: ‘Alabama’ Band members Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, American country music singer and songwriter Ronnie Rogers and songwriter Will Robinson.

Pass It On Down.

We live in the land of plenty,
But many things aren’t plenty any-more,
Like the water from our sink,
They say it’s not safe to drink,
You gotta go and buy it at the store.
Now we’re told there’s a hole in the Ozone,
Look what’s washing on the beach,
And Lord, I believe, from the heavens to the seas,
We’re bringing Mother Nature to her knees.

Chorus.
So let’s leave some blue up above us,
Let’s leave some green on the ground,
It’s only ours to borrow, then save some for tomorrow,
Leave it and pass it on down.

Well, there’s a change taking place way on the mountains,
Acid rain is falling on the leaves,
And down in Brazil, the fires are burning still,
How we gonna breathe without them trees?

Repeat Chorus.

Well, there’s a place where I live called the Canyon (Canyon),
Where Daddy taught me to swim,
And that water, it’s so pure,
And I’m a gonna make sure,
Daddy’s grandkids can swim there like him.
Now we all outta feel just a little bit guilty,
When we look into the eyes of our kids,
‘Cause, brothers, it’s a fact, if we take and don’t put back,
They’ll have to pay for all we did.

Repeat Chorus 3 Times.