Finance « Thurles Information

Irish Postage Costs Increase

The cost of an Irish postage stamp has increased, with the standard national letter stamp now costing €1.25; an increase of .15 cents.

The An Post standard international stamp will also increase from the current €2 to €2.20.

These An Post increases, the company claims, are essential to cover current rising costs, thus ensuring their service continuity remains on a par with the very best in Europe.

An Post will mitigate the impact on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by increasing discounts available to them, while freezing the price of ten-stamp booklet for consumers (currently costing €11) and offering regular price promotions.

Irish postal costs remain well below the current average European tariffs for postage delivery services and like other retail products, this increases reflect transport, fuel and energy inflation

Existing stamp denominations, with ‘N’ (National) and ‘W’ (Worldwide) will still remain valid.

Liberty Square Car Park, Closed Until Friday Feb.25th.

**Liberty Square** **(Ulster Bank)** **Carpark, Thurles Closes**.

Tipperary County Council have announced that planned works to the Liberty Square (Ulster Bank) carpark in Thurles, will commence on tomorrow Monday 21st February 2022.

The carpark will remain closed from tomorrow, Monday February 21st until Saturday 26th February.
According to Mr Thomas Duffy, (Executive District Engineer), once the work is completed, there will be approximately 54 parking spaces available in the car park, including spaces for ‘Age Friendly’ parking and ‘Autism Friendly’ spaces.

Thurles Municipal District officials wishes to acknowledge the disruption these works will cause to businesses in the town. However, in order to minimise disruption, commencement of this work was chosen to coincide with what is a nearby school’s mid-term break.

This represents a substantial investment by tax payers, towards local infrastructure, thus allowing Tipperary Co. Council to glean even more money to waste.

**Kickham Street, Thurles this afternoon Feb 20th 2022 @ 3.00pm**

Note above, the car parked in 10 centimetres of stagnant water, with the surrounding images, further evidence of Thurles Municipal District Council’s inability to administrate the clearing of drains, identified and reported to the afore mentioned Mr Thomas Duffy, (Executive District Engineer) on July 26th 2021.

But then car parks generate more Council revenue, than pedestrians, businesses and private homes.

In a communication from Ms Sharan Scully District Administrator stating that, quote : – “Mr Tomas Duffy, District Engineer inspected the location on Kickham Street, outside your property on the 8th February.
Mr Duffy reported that the water ponding is directly due to reinstatement works associated with water main works, carried out by Irish Water recently.
The complaint was referred to Irish Water in order to rectify this matter. Mr Duffy then followed up the report directly with the Water Services in Tipperary County Council and impressed on them the urgency to have this work rectified”.

Regrettably, no one in Irish Water paid any attention to Mr Duffy and repairs have failed to materialise, with water flowing from Willowmere Drive, west into Kickham Street, using the road surface as a drain.

See picture section, featured above at centre bottom, shows Irish Water’s handiwork on Kickham Street, with one of their manholes loose and sinking into the road surface.

Man Attacked & Injured By Stag Settles Legal Claim With ESB.

Mr John Corcoran, aged 63, with an address at Fawnlough, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary; latter an ESB engineer who was tossed into the air by a rutting stag, while in the area of Cnoc Na Coille Duibhe, latter a remote hill north west of Templemore, Co. Tipperary, (back in September 2016), has settled his action taken against his employers; latter the commercial semi-state concern known as ESB.

The case taken by Mr Corcoran had been adjourned, after he had to attend hospital, having suffered a serious asthma attack while in the courts witness box, earlier this week.

Mr Justice Paul Coffey was informed today that the case had now been settled, in addition to another case also brought by Mr Corcoran against the ESB, in relation to alleged exposure to asbestos.

We understand that the terms of Mr Corcoran agreed settlement are to remain confidential.

Thurles Rotary – Hospice Christmas Tree Project.

Sadly, for the second successive year the well-established Rotary Christmas Tree project, which has been organised by Thurles Rotary Club in aid of North Tipperary Hospice and Suir Haven for the previous fifteen years, is unfortunately not going ahead, due to the ongoing covid pandemic situation.

North Tipperary Hospice has benefited by close to €100,000 over that 15 year period and Thurles Rotary are asking everyone to give whatever they can this Christmas, to support these wonderful groups and the crucial service they provide every day.

Fundraising has been seriously curtailed during the last two years leading to a major shortfall in funding so Thurles Rotary have created an iDonate page. Same can be located HERE or by going to iDonate.ie and searching for “Thurles Rotary”

Rotary hope this will provide a way for people who are used to making a contribution at the table, (as in previous years) in Thurles Shopping Centre to remember their loved ones this year with a donation.

Thurles Rotary would like to thank everyone in advance and wish all a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year.

Kilcoran Lodge Hotel Leisure Centre, Tipperary, To Enter Examiner Ship.

Munster Strategic Investments, Mocklers Hill, Cashel, Co Tipperary, owners of the Kilcoran Lodge Hotel Leisure Centre, Bohemarnane, County Tipperary, were granted leave to apply for the appointment of an examiner on Tuesday 7th December last, in the Circuit Civil Court, in a bid to save the business and the jobs of some 37 employees.

Barrister Mr Ross Gorman told Judge Mr Cormac Quinn that while the company was currently unable to pay its debts, an independent expert was of the view that it could be saved through the appointment of an examiner.

The company had been incorporated back in November 2015, by directors Mr Paul Bowes and his daughter Ms Triona Bowes, both with an address at Mocklers Hill, Cashel, but the business had suffered financial trading difficulties, due mainly to the effect of the Covid Pandemic; forcing it to close from March to July of 2020. This closure had placed a significant impact on the company’s then turnover in 2020 which was approximately €495,000.

In 2018 the company had acquired Kilcoran Lodge Hotel for just under €1.68million funded through several Chinese investors under the immigration investment programme whereby non-EU nationals invest a minimum of €1million in an Irish business and in return obtain a residency visa in Ireland.

Judge Cormac Quinn stated that he would allow an application for the appointment of an examiner to be made today, December 17th 2021.