Finance « Thurles Information

€10.1m Paid Out To Staff In Irish Water Performance Related Bonus Payments.

Irish Water line management, over the past two years, have handed over to staff, more than €10.1m in performance related bonus payments.

Last year, Irish Water paid almost €5.2m in bonus payments to some 789 workers.

Same figure was increased from the €4.96m, that had been determined as eligible in 2020, to some 765 employees.

The average performance related award amongst the top 20 staff during last year, stood at a colossal €19,171 per person. The names of the individuals receiving these performance related awards, has been withheld from the public.

The 20 staff in receipt of the highest bonuses, during the previous year, (2020), are understood to have shared €385,460, or €19,273 per person.

Same bonuses are understood to be taxable, but are not counted for calculation in future retirement pensions.

From 1:00pm Each Day Ulster Bank Branches Will Now Close Their Counter Service From Today.

“There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold……”.

A two line extract from “The Cremation of Sam McGee” – By Scottish poet Robert W. Service.

I went into the Thurles Branch of Ulster Bank today. It was my regular once a month visit, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before I continue, may I confirm that I found the counter personnel at the Thurles Ulster Bank branch have always been and continue to be, appropriately qualified, extremely competent and very professional in their everyday dealings.

Regrettably, I cannot say the same for the Ulster Bank Group’s top management, latter who announced today, on Twitter, (at 11:47am) that counter services at their branches would close today, as of 1:00pm, and into the future.
Note: I as a customer was never directly notified.

Arriving in at approximately 1.15pm today, Friday, July 1st; with ESB and Internet accounts due, I was informed that I was not now entitled to remove money from my bank account, due to this new 1:00pm closure ruling.

I left the bank branch in Liberty Square, before returning a short time later following reflection, to seek a meeting with the branch manager. A short few minutes later I was served at the counter and my lodgement was accepted.

The next time, An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin (leader of Fianna Fáil) and An Tánaiste, Mr Leo Varadker (Fine Gael TD – Dublin West), start to tell us how competition in the market place, here in Ireland, has been good for consumers; ask them ‘how come’.
How come our enlarged collection of banks were allowed to destroy this country; why numerous Internet Service providers and Electricity/Gas/ Petrol/Diesel suppliers, were all allowed to enter the market place and have metamorphosed into the most expensive distributers in Europe.

Thurles Street Lights Burning 24 Hour Each Day Increases From 27 To 50.

On June 6th last, Thurles based County Councillor, Mr Seamus Hanafin announced to the Tipperary nation that the current council policy of not putting lights in areas, which have a 60 kilometre per hour speed limit, now needs to change.
He cited as example those persons travelling out towards Lady’s Well towards the new sorting office in Thurles, find it dark at night. He also highlighted as yet another example; the Holycross Road area, between Árd na Croise and the Dew Valley Food factory, as being “dark at night”.

In the meanwhile, as Mr Hanafin, who has been a councillor for God knows how many years, continues to spout the obvious, the people of Thurles still remain in the dark (excuse the pun) as to why for months street lighting remains burning, 24 hours each day, in the town.

As you walk through the streets of Thurles over the past fortnight, the number of street lights, (Lamp Standards); their heads burning brightly in the midday sun, have greatly increased in number; from 27 to 50.

Of the fifty lamp standards burning 24 hours each day, we counted :-

32 in the immediate vicinity of Thurles town Park area. (Add to this four of these Lamp Standards are not working, while two of the four are without heads; one remains leaning westward, following some sort of vehicle collision.)
8 on Liberty Square (Only installed less than one month ago on May 17th 2022.
1 on Thomond Road.
1 on Pearse Terrace.
6 on Jimmy Doyle Road.
1 on Slievenamon Road.
1 on Emmet street.

In the absence of any explanation, we must assume there is no capable administration and governance amongst officials, engineers and elected representatives within the Thurles Municipal District.

Airtricity appear to be in control, thus one other company; other than Irish Water, exists where the “tail is wagging the dog”.

Airtricity Increase Number Of Thurles Street Lights Burning 24 Hour Each Day.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. – Matthew Ch.5:V.16.

Airtricity visited Thurles yesterday; mounting the new Chinese granite walkways with their ‘Cherry Picker’ truck, to change the Liberty Square, streets lighting, just one year exactly to the date (17th May) on which they were first installed.

One had thought that their visit was to deal with the 25 street lights that, for months, remain currently burning, day and night, at the taxpayers expense.

It appears that their reason for visiting was to change the lighting heads on all the Liberty Square light standards. The reason for this extravagance we admit we are not sure, but hopefully it has something to do with reducing wastage.

The new heads of course are greyish white in colour, contrasting considerably with the dark support standards initially installed.

But one thing, we are sure; these installations of new light heads have now added two more street lights to the total number, (27 in all), now burning 24 hours each day, and again, as already stated, paid for at the overburdened taxpayers expense.

Forget elected councillors; one wonders if any of the few businesses now eking out a basic living on Liberty Square, actually have confidence in corresponding with their Municipal District Council Office administrator.

Again, remind me, “Why are we paying Property Tax?

Tipperary Farms To Get €1,000 To Prevent Future Fodder Shortage.

Minister for Agriculture Mr Charlie McConalogue has stated that he is finalising details of a funding plan, which he has brought to Cabinet for approval, aimed at supporting farmers, particularly those in the livestock sector.

The Minister said he wants to ensure that we grow enough grass over the course of this year, to ensure that we remain secure in terms of having enough fodder from next autumn to next spring.

He further stated that this is part of the process of responding to the challenge of there being war now on European soil, latter for the first time in over a generation, which could brings real challenges.

Livestock farmers will be able to avail of up to €1,000, under the new scheme, valued at €55 million, thus encouraging farmers to store sufficient fodder for animals past next winter.

The proposal being examined is to introduce a scheme which would incentivise beef and sheep farmers to grow hay or silage and pay up to a maximum of 10 hectares at €100 per hectare; thus ensuring farmers have the resilience to deal with any challenges that are there from the war in Ukraine.

The Agriculture Minister has already announced €20m in supports for pig farmers, €12m to encourage farmers to till extra land and €3m to support the horticulture sector.

Ongoing price increases in animal feed, fuel and fertiliser, together with other agriculture inputs, have seen beef and sheep farmers demanding help from the Government, with many saying the viability of their enterprises are severely threatened and will suffer income declines of between 13% and 25% in this current year.