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 Templemore Garda Training College Elected representatives from all Government Party’s continue to disappoint their electorate residing here in North Tipperary. It started with jobs, industrial estates and factories, e.g. Sugar Factory, Erin Foods etc., being allowed to haemorrhage in silence.
Over the past few years these elected representatives have permitted the downgrading of our counties hospitals. Despite promises to the contrary, acute patients, normally cared for by Nenagh General Hospital, are now forced to attend an overcrowded, understaffed, scruffy Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, for their elective surgical services. Limerick General Hospital is situated an extra 40.2km away from Nenagh, thus adding 45 minutes extra driving time, for those needing, very often, urgent care & attention.
The continuous, downgrading and slow eradication of the Garda Training College over this past year, despite Noel Coonan’s promises to the contrary, has succeeded in destroying the once strong local economy of Templemore town .
Added Insult To Injury
Now to add further insult to injury, Fine Gael’s latest proposal is to reduce the number of Garda Districts, here in North Tipperary, from six to five. This proposed plan is expected to lead to the closure of the Templemore District headquarters. The Templemore District, presently home to the Garda Training College, includes the town of Roscrea, which recently also lost its local Courthouse. If these proposals are agreed and carried out, any future mergers would be likely to lead to the closure of the district headquarters in Templemore, which logic would then indicate should merge with Thurles. Roscrea on the other hand would logically be merged with the Nenagh Town Garda District.
Readers will now fully understand why only 39% of the estimated 24,839 properties in North Tipperary paid their “Hogan,” Household Charges.
At the end of May, if rural Ireland has anything to do with it, an already clapped out, unimaginative Fianna Gael government, may find themselves getting a far worse backlash than the Household Charges. I am of course referring to the referendum on the Fiscal Compact Treaty, as residents of rural Ireland may decide they have had enough.
This latter treaty must be ratified by January 2013 and will take effect, once it is ratified by 12 of the 17 euro zone countries.
 Proposed Marlborough St Bridge Latest ‘Household Charge Data,‘ shows that less than 4 out of every 10 householders in County Tipperary have paid this inequitable charge and are now being branded by Phil Hogan as “Unpatriotic.”
The inequitable €100 levy has been paid by only 37% of the estimated 30,368 properties liable in South Tipperary and by just 39% of the estimated 24,839 properties in North Tipperary.
Donegal however is the most “Unpatriotic,” recording the lowest payment rate of just 27%. (Wicked spiteful people, that Donegal lot, then again, like Tipperary, maybe they have no services being provided either.)
Maybe Phil Hogan should ‘zip his lips,’ especially when people get around to reading Fiachra Ó Cionnaith‘s column in the Irish Examiner, dated 28th April, which demonstrates that Household Charges in theory, were not really necessary, had existing Medical Cards expenditures been investigated by our present government.
While our Household Charges were due to raise €160 million for certain Local Authorities, without any effort made to identify peoples ability to pay, Medical Cards for people who are dead, or have left the country or have no longer any entitlement to same, are costing the taxpayer as much as €210 million annually. It would appear that a full audit of all people who hold medical cards has not taken place, meaning it is not yet known exactly how many people still have cards, despite having died, left the country or being no longer eligible. Do the sums, €210 million wasted in one department, while in another department €160 million is demanded, using dictatorial bullyboy tactics.
Simply put, taxpayers are paying far more than they should, to provide medical cards to non existent or non entitled people, to the tune of €210 million, while we taxpayers are being asked for unnecessary and further inequitable taxes, because highly paid public servants are incapable of controlling major financial waste and leakage.
Hope our lack of ‘patriotism,’ doesn’t affect Dublin City Council’s new €15million Marlboro St bridge, being funded by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I wonder from whence they will be acquiring this money? Yes of course, I forgot, it will come partially from us, the half-witted rural community.
When will rural Tipperary come out of it’s slumber and it’s elected politicians waken up?
Mr Liam Morris, North Tipperary Vintage and Machinery Club member, pictured here presenting a cheque for €1,800 to M.B.L.L. Community Development.
The funding was raised through a Vintage Car & Tractor Run, which took place on April 1st last.
Presentation of the funds raised, were formally presented in Darmody’s Pub, Littleton, Thurles, Co.Tipperary and Mr Morris thanked all who had so generously supported this fundraising event.
Photo courtesy G.Willoughby.
 Top Irish stud farm Coolmore Stud, owned by successful racing tycoon John Magnier and based in Fethard, Co Tipperary, will help China set up a new horse racing industry, under a new agreement.
This new partnership agreement is estimated to be worth €40 million to Ireland over the next 3 years.
Sited in Tianjin, China’s fourth largest city, this planned world-class equine centre will be the first of its kind in the country and is due to open for business next year.
The Chinese facility will be stocked with broodmares from Ireland, with over 100 mares, together with stallions, to be exported over the next three years. The deal will also see Coolmore Stud playing host to seven of China’s top agriculture graduates, to learn about the horse racing industry.
The construction of the new site at Tianjin marks the return of interest in horseracing in China, as the population continues to become more affluent. The sport was banned under former Communist dictator Mao Tse-Tung.
Mr P. J. Magnier (Junior) stated: “The sector plays a huge part in the Irish economy, currently generating 1.1 billion euros annually. This industry is something we are very good at, and today one of the biggest markets in the world has recognised this and has chosen to partner with Ireland.”
Photo courtesy G.Willoughby.
 The number of household’s categorised under the heading “At Risk of Poverty Rate,” rose to 15.8% in 2010, up on the 2009 figure of 14.1%. Latest published figures also show, in 2010, that another 6.2% were listed as “Consistent Poverty Rate,” again an increase of 0.7% on 2009.
Figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) reveal that the gap between rich and poor grew over 2009/10, while the average income of high earners was 5.5 times that of those in the lowest income group and 1.2 times higher than a year earlier.
A survey on income and living conditions in Ireland found that the threshold for identifying those at risk of poverty fell by more than 10 per cent – from €12,064 in 2009 to €10,831 in 2010.
The CSO said children remained the most exposed age group living consistent poverty, a rate of 8.1 per cent.
Meanwhile the Government has admitted, following a parliamentary question from former Labour TD Tommy Broughan, that Social Welfare applicants are waiting for up to 84 weeks to have appeals heard. The Department of Social Protection have confirmed that between 2009 and 2011, the number of social welfare appeals had increased dramatically from 15,000 a year to 32,000. The average summary appeal period rose from 18.2 weeks in 2009 to 25.1 weeks in 2011 and if an oral hearing is required, the average waiting time has risen from 34.8 weeks in 2009 to 52.5 weeks (Over a year) during the same period.
These statistics further highlight the unfairness of Minister Phil Hogan’s Household Charge, which in four days time will force people to break the law, because of their present financial standing.
Is This Government Forcing Law Abiding Citizens To Break The Law?
I am no lawyer, but surely, in jurisprudence, duress or coercion refers to a situation whereby a person performs an act as a result of threat or other pressure against the person. Call it a law protecting, those who are being coerced, because of their personal financial circumstances, to break the law, because they cannot afford to pay the Household Charge.
Black’s Law Dictionary (6th ed.) defines “Duress,” as any unlawful threat or coercion, used to induce another to act in a manner that otherwise they would not. Surely a person can raise an “Economic Duress defence,” when force or the law, compels him to enter into a contract which he cannot afford. Is the defendant therefore being forced to break the law by another party, in this case our government, which caused the financial distress and for which the defendant is being now asked/coerced into paying?
I repeat, I am not a qualified legal person, so is there any qualified legal opinion out there, willing to comment?
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