Finance « Thurles Information

Clonmel 40 Bed Modular Unit Handed Over To South Tipperary Hospital

It took just 11 months; from the arrival of builders on site to the point where the finished 40 bed Medical Modular unit at South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, was officially handed over on January 16th, 2020.

The now completed project cost approximately €20m, with construction costs coming in at almost €10m.

“The reality is that seeing is believing”, commented Prof. Mr Peter Murchan, (Consultant General Surgeon) at South Tipperary General Hospital, as he proudly led a tour of this new 40 bed facility within the hospital on Monday last.

Acknowledging that many had stated publicly that the project could not be achieved, Professor Murchan was quick to emphasise that this new state-of-the-art facility is due mostly to the ‘enormous hands-on commitment’ of Independent TD Mr Michael Lowry, latter who networked via the Departments of Health & Finance, to push this particular project forward to full and total fulfilment.

New Solar Power Plants Planned For Tipperary

Two companies, Danish group Obton and Shannon Energy are planning to spend some €300 million; building plants that will generate electricity from solar panels here in Ireland.

Both companies confirmed last Wednesday that they had formed a joint venture to develop solar farms, latter which uses panels of specially manufactured cells, to convert heat from the sun into electricity.

The joint operation intends to spend some €300 million over the next three years on building these solar farms that would generate up to 500 megawatts of electricity, while creating an estimated 1,000 jobs in the process.

It is understood that the Danish company Obton would provide most of the finance, while Shannon Energy would provide local expertise and do much of the work on the ground.

This joint venture has already earmarked sites in counties Tipperary, Cork, Galway, Longford and Westmeath, where it is expected to install solar panels capable of producing 150 megawatts of electricity, supplying enough energy to cover the annual consumption of some 25,000 private homes.

The new group association remain in talks with farmers regarding the acquisition of other recognised sites here in Ireland, as they estimate that overall, they will require a minimum of 2,000 acres, if their plans are to be brought to fruition.

New Proposed Housing Development For Mitchel Street, Thurles

Independent TD Mr Michael Lowry has confirmed details of a new proposed housing development envisaged for Mitchel Street, here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

The proposed development would deliver 122 residential affordable houses, with an investment of some €34 million Euro.

The proposal is to deliver a new residential community with the proposed name for the scheme entitled “Brú na Manach”, [Translated from Irish to English “The Monks Palace”], in recognition of the fact that the lands are located to the north side of the Monk’s field.

**Proposed Housing Development Site** – “**Brú na Manach**”

The residential housing mix proposed in this scheme can be summarised as follows: –
11 x 2 storey semi-detached 4 bed houses.
62 x 2 storey semi-detached 3 bed houses.
16 x 2 storey townhouses 2 bed houses.
12 x Duplex 2 bed ground floor homes.
12 x Duplex 3 bed townhouses.
9 x 2 storey semi-detached 4 bed houses.

The Promoter of this project is Liberty Square Consulting Ltd, part of the Castlestar Property Development Group; a developer well established and respected, holding excellent credentials. This group is currently building quality developments at affordable prices at several other locations around the country.

The design team have spent over 12 months engaged in detailed consultation with Tipperary Co. Council and Irish Water on this proposed scheme; carefully examining the previously granted planning applications for this site and have already amended their plans to address concerns already raised by local residents and business owners. Indeed, acoustic fencing has been proposed to address concerns previously raised.

The proposed scheme will not include any apartments, and will be accessed via Mitchell Street and Bohernamona Road.
Planning will include a new Childcare / Creche facility, and incorporate a new landscaped public park area.

Agreement has been reached in principle between the Developer; the Local Authority and Irish Water on infrastructure upgrades required to deal with local waste-water / sewerage collection networks, same resulting in the introduction of a new pump station and waste-water infrastructure on the site. This latter new system will have additional capacity and will be engineered to enable already existing houses on Bohernamona Road to be offered a connection to this mains sewerage / waste-water system.

Subject to full planning permission being granted, the developer intends to engage local contractors and tradesmen with a view to commencing construction of this housing scheme in September 2020.

Deputy Lowry stated, “At my request the developer has agreed to make available his full design team on Tuesday the 14th January, from 4:00pm–8:00pm, at the Order of Malta Centre, Boheravoroon, Thurles Townparks, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Here full plans will be on display and the public will have an opportunity to raise queries, concerns or to make comments and suggestions.

The public can, if they so desire, make submissions directly online to An Board Pleanála on any matter regarding the planning application. This opportunity will remain open for 5 weeks.
I have also made arrangements for representatives of Mitchel Street, Residents Committee and Loughtagalla Park and Residents Association to meet with the developer to discuss issues of mutual interest”, the Deputy stated.

“This project is a significant investment in our town. It gives an opportunity to young families to buy a house at an affordable cost. Young families secure the future of our town, its schools, business, sport and voluntary organisations.
If constituents require further clarification, they may contact me or my office directly, Michael Lowry TD Constituency Office, Abbey Rd, Thurles
Tel: 0504 22022 or email michael.lowry@oireachtas.ie“, Mr Lowry concluded.

Danger: Water Abstractions Bill Affecting Tipperary Brought To Cabinet

**Part of Tipperary’s Lough Derg shore line.**

The present Fine Gael Cabinet has approved new legislation that should allow for the development of a controversial aqua pipeline that hopes to extract water from the River Shannon to feed Dublin’s continuously leaking water pipes.

Minister supposedly in charge of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Mr Eoghan Murphy yesterday, Tuesday December 17th, conveyed a memo to Cabinet, proposing the drafting of a Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill. This Bill would allow for the licensing of large-scale water abstractions, within the Irish State.

However, the real aim of this Bill is to allow by law for a massive, controversial €1.3 billion Shannon pipeline to proceed. Backed by Irish Water, this project, proposes to use water from the River Shannon to supply water to Dublin.

First mooted in 2011, the scheme was estimated at €470m. In 2014, three years later, estimates for cost were €500m. The project today, just a five years later; and reminiscent of the National Children’s Hospital Project, same is now estimated at costing taxpayers €1.3 billion and rising; all for the benefit of Urban Dublin.

The project has been already fiercely opposed by Tipperary landowners, latter the owners of property along the proposed route. Same argue that its impact will be detrimental to the Lower Shannon region. They further argue that the 40% to 50% of leaking pipes first introduced under British rule in Victorian times within the Dublin region, if repaired, would fully negate any need to abstract water supplies from Ireland’s 224-mile-long river, named after ‘Sionna’, a Celtic goddess.

For readers unaware of this aqua pipeline project; same proposes to extract some 330 to 350 million litres of water from the Shannon river, piped through a 170km pipeline, from Lough Derg’s Parteen Basin in Co. Tipperary, across Ireland to Dublin city, overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), latter who recently declared that there are now just 20 pristine river sites within the Republic of Ireland; same down from over 500 such sites in the late 1980’s.

Taxpayers Buy Printer Too Big For Leinster House

Regularly we highlight the waste by our own Tipperary Co. Council and its senior officialdom, latter devoid of an actual workforce, with regard to wasting taxpayer’s money. The list includes; unnecessary expensive High Court actions; failures with regards to ever recurring Health & Safety issues; overall neglect of our town of Thurles, and double jobbing, overpaid, powerless councillors etc.; we will spare you the details, since we have already shared same in the past.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who shall keep the keepers themselves?

One would assume that our present minority Fine Gael Government would have devised a proper system of cheques and balances to protect the taxpayer. However, governments down the years have successfully persuaded taxpayers that day to day spending comes gifted by that same government of the day and in no way should be associated with funding gifted by overburdened taxpayer.

How many people have read the report, today, by Irish Times newspaper journalist Mr Craig Hughes and were shocked by his revelations?

First rule of carpentry: Measure Twice – Cut once

Warning: Please be sure you are sitting down before you read further and Please Note: This is not a Joke.

According to Mr Hughes, the Houses of the Oireahteas (better known as the Irish Tax-Payer), spent €808.000 for a printer, before paying in excess of a further €236,000 to have it installed, because the original measurements forwarded to allow it to gain entry, were incorrect.

Because of these incorrectly measured dimensions, the Komori Corporation manufactured printer, (which has now been fitted), was unable to be installed for some 10 months, because the original measurements supplied failed to ensure that the machine had the necessary 3.1m (10.17ft) clearance required.

And no, the story doesn’t end there – There’s more!
Not surprisingly public servants are now refusing to be trained to operate this state-of-the-art equipment, until they receive a pay rise.

Stay seated, there’s more!
Due to the installation problems the printer was stored for free, initially, by Komori’s Irish agent, Portman Graphics, but eventually storage fees of €2,000 per month were charged. The printer could not be returned, because the purchase contract had already been signed.

The Houses of the Oireahteas, in May of last year, decided that the temporary removal of a door frame in Kildare House, should solve the issue, however the Office of Public Works informed them that a more substantial project was required in order to complete the installation.

Of course, we can’t truly blame our TD’s for this financial waste, same focus must now rest with the line management of public servants. In the private sector heads would roll, but in the public sector, tape-measure wielding employees are protected forever.

Well of course you could always accuse out elected representatives of being silent on the matter (Known in the Dáil as a ‘cover your arse exercise’).

One wonders will the Public Accounts Committee now become involved, embroiled even, in this inky mess and will this be followed by 50 Fine Gael apologies.

Surprisingly none of the government’s opposition TD’s were aware of this problem, obviously they hadn’t used their fobs to sign-in on that particular day.

Never mind, taxpayers are looking forward to getting an improved swanky calendar this year, after all they will have paid for it.

Now you also can understand why Thurles will not get its long promised ring-road before 2040 at the earliest.