Finance | Thurles Information

Tipperary Hurling Sponsor Declan Kelly Accused Of Drunken Antics At Charity Event.

According to Independent.ie, multi-millionaire PR mogul and Tipperary senior hurling sponsor Mr Declan Kelly, brother of Labour Leader and TD Mr Alan Kelly, has temporally stepped aside from some of his responsibilities as the CEO and chairperson of Teneo; latter, the strategy firm he co-founded. This follows accusations of drunkenly misbehaving at a charity event last month.

A statement made by a spokesperson for the chief executive said, Mr Kelly became inebriated and behaved inappropriately towards women and men at a cocktail party for a fundraising concert hosted by Global Citizen on May 2nd last, which was chaired by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and featured performances by Jennifer Lopez, Foo Fighters and Selena Gomez, as well as appearances from President Joe Biden and Pope Francis.

Global Citizen, headquartered in New York, with offices in Canada, South Africa, Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom, is a movement of engaged citizens who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030.

Tipperary-born Mr Kelly is understood to have been asked for his resignation the day after the event, and resigned his board seat at Global Citizen, latter an anti-poverty charity, chaired by Mr Chris Stadler, the managing partner of CVC Capital Partners, the majority shareholder in Teneo.

The spokesperson’s statement further confirmed that Mr Kelly regretted his actions and had apologised to those he had offended. Mr Kelly had also “temporarily reduced his work responsibilities”, was now “committed to sobriety” and was “undertaking ongoing counselling from healthcare professionals”.

Technology Provider Fiserv To Add 200 Jobs In Co. Tipperary.

Fiserv plans to expand their research and development in Nenagh Co. Tipperary.

The payments and financial services technology provider Fiserv, situated at Stereame, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, E45 WF84 is to add 200 jobs over the next three years, as the company continues to expands its research and development operations here in the county.

The company, which acquires SpendLabs to enhance digital payments for small and medium-sized businesses, is recruiting for roles in application and web development, cloud infrastructure, data science and architecture, as it responds to a growing demand for digital solutions among its present clients and consumers.

The Nenagh Technology Centre first opened in 2017 and has since been developing new services that facilitate the movement of money and information.

An Tánaiste Mr Leo Varadkar has welcomed the news, stating, “This is really great news for Nenagh and the mid-west region,” he said. “These 200 new jobs are a welcome boost and one which the Government is very happy to support. Tipperary has the talent and skills to bring Fiserv to the next level and I wish the team the very best of luck with this expansion.”

This expansion in Nenagh is being supported by the Government through IDA Ireland.

Waste Within Tipperary Co. Council’s Motor Tax Office.

“Mr Waste lived across the street, right opposite the Slows,
And every weed that ever grew, in his front garden grows.
Bill Waste lost all his lesson books, Moll Waste on hers she scribbled,
And so between the pence and pounds away their money dribbled.
This story is a sad one; the end is as you fear.
Yes, the Waste’s are in the Workhouse now, Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear.”

In March of 2021, my car suffered from no less than three “hit and runs”, in just three weeks, while it was correctly parked close to the junction of Ikerrin Road and Kickham Street, Thurles. Same three “hit and runs” were caused by customers reversing their vehicles out from a local Supermarket in that area; the drivers failing to take the necessary due care and attention.

After the last hit and run it became necessary to have my elderly car scrapped. In doing so, I applied to rightly claim back my road tax on the now scrapped vehicle and approximately one month later, I received a cheque from Tipperary County Council, on the 28th of April, 2021.
See picture of cheque hereunder, showing repayment of €248, with date framed in red outline, note 28th April 2021.

Next, see letter received on May 7th, 2021, sent some 9 days later, stating : –

Dear Sir/Madam,
I refer to your application for refund of licencing fee in respect of the above vehicle.
Arrangements are today being made to issue a Paying Order in the sum of €248 under separate cover to you. Should you fail to receive same within 6 weeks please contact the undersigned.

Yours faithfully, etc.

To date, I hasten to add, despite the latter correspondence, Tipperary County Council have correctly failed to pay me twice for this once off transaction.

The cost of sending me the refund cheque was a 95 cents stamp, plus cost of envelope and possibly duty on the cheque. The cheque had no accompanying correspondence attached, indicating what the reason was for the payment. This resulted in a telephone call by myself seeking an explanation (cost 30 cents).
Since no one in charge of cheque distribution was available to explain my query; County Council staff agreed to phone me back. The call-back came sometime later and after a 5 minute discussion, all was fully clarified, at an total cost of about €2.00 in total.

Now for the letter dispatched on the 7/5/2021, costs: 1 x Stamp – 95 cents, 1 x Typists salary – cost unknown, 1 x line Manager/Supervisor to halt any second payment – cost unknown, 1 x Sheet of Headed Paper – cost unknown, and finally 1 x large white envelope – cost unknown.

Taxpayers wonder why their hard-earned money is diminished daily in amount and why property taxes increase by 10% annually.
Within Tipperary County Council Motor Tax Office it is obvious that they are over staffed with “the left hand not knowing what the right hand doeth”.

Who cares, the strings of the public purse in Co. Tipperary remain loose, flexible and easily accessible to public servants and their officialdom.

More on the huge waste by Tipperary County Council officials in the coming days.

Previously Discounted VAT On Non-EU Products To End

There are new tax changes on the way that will make it more expensive to buy goods online, when purchased from outside the European Union.

The Revenue Commissioners have warned that an exemption that previously discounted VAT on non-EU products under €22; will come to an end soon, possibly from July 1st, despite the purchase transaction having occurred before the aforementioned date.

Introduced by the European Commission, this new rule will be applicable in all EU member states to ensure that no products being imported from non-EU countries are given preferential VAT treatment compared with products that are bought from within the European Union.

This means that products that are being purchased online from countries outside the European Union, including Britain, will now be eligible for the same VAT rates regardless of their varied value.

Currently, if the cost of the goods you buy online, including transport, insurance and handling charges, is less than €22, then you do not have to pay VAT.

From July 1st next, people should be aware that these new tax changes could mean you will be liable for extra charges when any purchased products arrives in this country, prior to its delivery.
If you shop online in the future, you need to check carefully whether the advertised price of any goods also include all Irish tax and duty costs due; before a decision to purchase that particular item on your wish list, is contemplated.

Thurles Cathedral “Raise The Roof” Fundraiser.

Anyone who is familiar with the town of Thurles, in Co. Tipperary, is most certainly acquainted with the historic Cathedral of the Assumption, latter modelled on the Cathedral at Pisa in Northern Italy.

The building was commenced by Dr. Patrick Leahy who was then Archbishop of Cashel & Emly, and who decided to replace the existing “Big Chapel” with a Cathedral, and ever since this landmark building has played a central role in the faith life of our Thurles parish community.

The foundation stone was laid in 1865, it was roofed by 1870 and consecrated by Thomas William Croke D.D. Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, on 22nd June 1879, (142 years ago). Maintenance is constant in old buildings with repair needed on an ongoing basis. The 1970’s saw the roof re-slated, but now the time has come to replace the roofing and return it to its original Bangor slate form.

As stated, this majestic building as it stands today, has been at the very heart of our Thurles Community for some 142 years. Built in an Italianate Romanesque style, the Cathedral has always been admired for the sheer beauty of its architecture. Every inch of this structure is steeped in a rich history that reveals fascinating national and global connections.

For those of us living locally, the Cathedral holds an even more personal and profound place of importance in our hearts and minds. For many of us it is where we have celebrated some of the best of times. It is also the place that has supported us through some of the worst of times.

It is a site of worship and a venue where the community comes together daily through prayer, song, empathy and friendship. Indeed, it would be difficult to find someone from Thurles who hasn’t drawn comfort at least once from its surroundings or taken part in a celebration within its hallowed walls.

Now, in 2021, a building that has served and supported so many of us down through the years, badly needs our help with the roof of this Cathedral now in need of urgent restoration.

To this end, the Cathedral Reroofing Project Group are delighted to announce the launch of the Thurles Cathedral “Raise The Roof” Lotto, a fundraising initiative that is hoped will be of great benefit, as part of efforts to fund the much needed re-roofing of the Cathedral of the Assumption. It is hoped that the weekly option of €2 per line, will allow everybody to take part and support.

Please pass the word on and invite friends and family to support.

The last major renovation of the Cathedral took place 20 years ago. In the intervening years, repair works were completed on the Bell Tower and the statues surrounding the roof perimeter. A new roof will complete this total refurbishment in the modern era and ensure that the Cathedral will remain a centre of celebration, consolation and worship for the parish and the Archdiocese.

Readers of Thurles.Info, both at home and abroad, can VISIT HERE for further information on how they can assist in this most important restoration project.

If you can contribute 3 lines for €5, the same would be hugely appreciated.