Finance « Thurles Information

No 80 Jobs For Thurles Promised By Alan Kelly TD

It was the cold Summer of 2015, that Tipperary TD Mr Alan Kelly, (the man who believes he should be leader of the Irish Labour Party and who unwinds by watching “House of Cards” every night), made the following statement in a PDF news letter, addressed to his rapidly dwindling constituent followers.

Read on and weep:-
“Thurles is set to become a major green energy hub and benefit from 40 new jobs for Tipperary following an announcement I made recently. The new jobs will be created at Premier Green Energy (PGE), which is located on the site of the former Thurles Sugar Factory. It is the brainchild of Tom Comerford from Holycross and is one of the first major enterprises to return to Thurles after the loss of Erin Foods, the Sugar Factory and many others. I have been working very closely supporting Tom and Premier Green Energy for the last three years. This is a very positive announcement for Thurles and even more significant when these jobs are being created by a local company which has a huge commitment to this area. I believe that this has potential to be the beginning of something really significant in terms of jobs for the Thurles area”.

The 2016 Irish general election took place on Friday 26th February and sometime before that dates Mr Kelly, anxious to gain re-election, doubled these same imaginary job numbers for Premier Green Energy to 80 in total. Well, I suppose if I were the director of a Ltd Company about to receive ‘a few bob’, sure wouldn’t I allow my local TD to experience a seemingly real perception of something not actually present, like 80 new jobs. The reality of course, as far as we can ascertain, to date 24/7/2019, not one job was ever created, in fact a number of employees were actually made redundant.

Now we learn from the courts that in recent days, a legal demand has emerged; made by a group of Chinese investors against Mr Kelly’s jobs creators, Premier Green Energy Ltd, latter company which we understand converts waste into energy. These Chinese investors are now seeking the repayment of a €1.5m loan, plus interest.

Quoquing Wu and Jianyu Qi (both based in Dublin), as well as Yuanming Chi, Xueqi Wang, Jingli Li, Qiling Li and Kailin Yao, (latter named all based in China), have taken legal proceedings against the Tipperary company of Premier Green Energy Holdings Ltd, listed as based in the Cabragh Business Park, here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Premier Green Energy is a design, fabrication and manufacturing business for the provision of bespoke waste-to-energy conversion technology solutions. We understand that Premier Green Energy currently supply services to the former Verdanta mine site at Lisheen, Moyne, Thurles; however same are not listed as either partners or members of the consortium associated with Irish Bioeconomy Foundation.

The Chinese plaintiffs allege that they advanced a loan in March 2017 to the defendant, Premier Green Energy, of €1.5m for a period of 48 months. We are informed that celebrations by all involved took place in Portroe, North Tipperary, home stamping ground of Mr Kelly, following the contract signing transaction.

In court the plaintiffs also claim that as part of this loan agreement, 18% interest accruing on the principal sum loaned and was payable on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date that the loan was initially advanced.

On March 16th last, it is being claimed that €540,000 was due and owing to the named Chinese plaintiffs. Latter claim the defendants, Premier Green Energy Ltd, failed to make payment of the agreed sum payable, and further claim that the principal amount loaned, as well as the interest, is now due.

It is not known what other European or Irish funding, if any, was made to Premier Green Energy Ltd.

The plaintiffs now seek an order from the court requiring the defendants to pay them €2.17m, which is made up of the principal sum loaned, plus the interest allegedly due. They also seek an order for damages for breach of contract against the defendant firm of Premier Green Energy Ltd.

The matter was admitted, at the consent of both parties, to the fast track commercial court list, by Mr Justice Robert Haughton on Monday last and the case has now been adjourned to a date shortly after the court’s summer recess.

Efforts to contact Mr Kelly yesterday for comment were declined on the grounds that he was currently on holiday.

Alas, not surprisingly, Mr Kelly’s illusion of “effective public representation at local and national level” is not likely to emerge again until the next general election is announced; when his brain activity will be raised to resembles that of being fully awake.

Please Support Jim Corcoran Benefit Fund

All communities within mid Co. Tipperary, especially within the neighbourhoods of Holycross, Thurles and Littleton, are coming together to support a deserving local family with a benefit night, latter which will take place in The Dome, Semple Stadium on Saturday night, August 17th 2019, [8:00pm till late].

Mr Jim Corcoran, Ballyvoneen, Holycross, Thurles; originally from Littleton was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer in mid-May and now his many great friend and relatives have jumped in to support him, together with his wife Angela and their three children, Charlie, Libby and Poppy, by pledging to raise as much funding as possible to assist with Jim’s necessary treatment programme.

The oldest son of Mrs Nell Corcoran and her husband, the late Mr Patrick Corcoran; Mr Jim Corcoran has three brothers P.J., Mickie and Paul, together with two sister’s Trisha and Fiona. His wife, Angela’s family, whose parents are Phillip and Kathleen McNeill together with her brothers and sisters, are also supportive of her husband Jim at this time, with both families offering positive and reassuring support.

Aged 51 years old, Mr Corcoran is a skilled carpenter by trade, who formally worked in a number of locations, including in London; and building many of the scenery props and characters at Euro Disney, in Paris, before returning home to work in Erin Foods. In the past Mr Corcoran has survived testicular cancer in earlier years and has also overcome a heart attack just five years ago.

However, this latest blow came out of the blue, beginning with what appeared at the time to be a toothache. Further investigation however, confirmed that Mr Corcoran had tumours in the form of primary cancer in his lung and secondary cancer in his brain.
Mr Corcoran has been undergoing treatment since last May, under the care of Dr. Nadine in The Whitfield Clinic in Waterford. He is determined to fight and to do whatever has to be done, to beat his current diagnosis. He is a strong determined man, and together with wife Angela; both remain a very effective team, meeting this severe challenge head-on.

Live Performances

The upcoming benefit night on August 17th, at The Dome, in Semple Stadium, will have music by the ‘Jim of the Mill Group’, ‘Seskin Lane’ and friends, and DJ Martin Maher, all of whom will provide top entertainment on the night.

All of those involved in the event, including the venue; performers; ticket and poster production, etc.; are giving their services totally free of charge; a fact that is most deeply appreciated by the families and the specially formed organising committee members.

Committee Officers

The Officers on the committee are Ms Theresa Corbett and Fr. Celsus Tierney (Joint Chairpersons); Ms Teresa Hickey and Ms Dolly Purcell (Joint Secretaries); Ms Jean Ryan and Ms Vanessa O’ Dowd (Joint Treasurers). There are at least twenty other persons involved in the running of the event, ready and eager to assist the Corcoran family during this most difficult of times.

Tickets

Tickets for this worthy event will cost just €20, and are available from Holycross Parish Office (0504 43124), Ely’s Centre, MR Car Valeting, Sammon’s Pharmacy, Premier Meats, Annie Cuties Nail Bar, Mc Cycles, The Beauty Loft, Doyle’s Corner Shop, Boots Pharmacy, Village Takeaway Littleton, Crokes Shop Littleton, Sarsfields Clubhouse and from committee members including Ms Teresa Hickey (087 77433030), Ms Jean Ryan (087 6796764), Ms Samantha Breen (086 8441533).

Doors on August 17th next will open at 8:00pm and there will also be Prizes and an Auction; while people can also Donate Online via a GoFundMe page.

Thurles Credit Union – BIC: THCUIE21 IBAN: IE97THCU99109210805697. Account Number 36484.

Where possible we ask you please to support this very worthwhile cause.

Tipperary Landlord Family Member – Face Of New English £50

“This is only a foretaste of what is to come, and only the shadow of what is going to be.” – Alan Turing.

We first wrote about Alan Turing’s Tipperary connection on January 11th, 2017 last. The code-breaker and visionary mathematician, who was convicted under Victorian homophobic laws, will now be the face of Britain’s new £50 note.

The Stoney family were once prominent landlords, here in North Tipperary. His mother Ethel Sara Stoney (1881–1976) was daughter of Edward Waller Stoney (Borrisokane, North Tipperary) and Sarah Crawford (Cartron Abbey, Co. Longford); Protestant Anglo-Irish gentry.

Educated in Dublin at Alexandra School and College; on October 1st 1907 she married Julius Mathison Turing, latter son of Reverend John Robert Turing and Fanny Boyd, in Dublin. Born on June 23rd 1912, Alan Turing would go on to be regarded as one of the greatest figures of the twentieth century.

A brilliant mathematician and cryptographer Alan was to become the founder of modern-day computer science and artificial intelligence; designing a machine at Bletchley Park to break secret Enigma encrypted messages used by the Nazi German war machine to protect sensitive commercial, diplomatic and military communications during World War 2. Thus, Turing made the single biggest contribution to the Allied victory in the war against Nazi Germany, possibly saving the lives of an estimated 2 million people, through his effort in shortening World War II.

In 2013, almost 60 years later, Turing received a posthumous Royal Pardon from Queen Elizabeth II. Today, the “Turing law” grants an automatic pardon to men who died before the law came into force, making it possible for living convicted gay men to seek pardons for offences now no longer on the statute book.

Alas, Turing accidentally or otherwise lost his life in 1954, having been subjected by a British court to chemical castration, thus avoiding a custodial sentence. He is known to have ended his life at the age of 41 years, by eating an apple laced with cyanide.

The character of Alan Turing was played by actor Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game,“ latter a 2014 highly recommended film.

Frustration Voiced With Regard To Mid-West Health Care Issues

Tipperary people being foolishly identified as brainless imbeciles by this Fine Gael government.

Fine Gael TD Mr Simon Harris *(Minister for Apologies, Promises and Health Care, **since May 2016.**)*

We reported on Tuesday last July 9th that seventy patients lay on surf board type trolleys at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), with a total of 456 patients lodged in similar conditions across the 26 counties of Ireland. A further 26 patients remained on trolleys at South Tipperary General Hospital, leaving a total of 96 patients or almost one quarter of the national patient count, waiting for a bed in just Co. Tipperary alone.

On the following day, Wednesday July 10th, last, University Hospital Limerick serving North Tipperary issued a statement through the UL Hospitals Group. They declared that 232 patients had attended their emergency department between 8:00am July 9th and 8:00am July 10th. They further advised people to avoid their medical facility, urging members of the public to consider attending injury clinics at St. John’s Hospital [Opening Hours 8:00am – 6:00pm]; at Ennis Hospital [Opening Hours 8:00am – 8:00pm]; and Nenagh General Hospital [Opening Hours 8:00am – 8:00pm]. They failed to state where patients should attend in the case of night time accidents or other emergencies?

We hasten to point out that these figures above stated can be viewed online and are confirmed by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

Following last Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, a joint motion from councillors attending, called on the Minister for Health Mr Simon Harris to make an ‘unannounced visit’ to Limerick hospital and then to immediately begin the process required to reopen the Accident & Emergency units at St. John’s Hospital (Co. Limerick), Ennis Hospital (Co. Clare) and Nenagh General Hospital (Co. Tipperary), and furthermore to upgrade Ennis Hospital to the status of a Model 3 hospital.

They also called for a meeting to be held with Mr Harris, inviting TDs from Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary, together with Co. Councillors from the same stated areas. Their hope is to discuss the future of the health service within the UL Hospitals group.

Independent Cllr. Ms Anne Norton of Clare Co. Council claimed that previous visits by the Minister to UHL, saw trolleys hidden away and out of sight around the hospital. Cllr Norton also claimed that numbers on trolleys should be dropping during summer months, adding she believed we are experiencing the worst health crisis ever, across Ireland.

Independent Cllr. Mr Ian Lynch and Fianna Fáil Cllr. Mr Cillian Murphy expressed the view that the UHL model has completely failed, with patients feeling at risk being sent there and with none of the plans discussed being put in place. Cllr. Murphy pointed out that the current population for Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary was 400,070 and projections indicated some 18% of future growth. Keeping these figures in mind, he stated our health service is only going to further deteriorate.

Are Tipperary Co. Council totally asleep on their feet?

It would appear that those who attended at our own last Tipperary Co. Council meeting, had not heard of the ongoing problems being experienced at University Hospital Limerick or had forgotten to properly adjust their monthly secret agenda.

Still when you vote at local elections for “more of the same”, what do you get? Answer:- “more of the same.”

Meanwhile our Dáil adjourned officially on Friday last, July 12th, with no further business scheduled for discussion until the resumption of business on Wednesday, September 20th next.

Of the 158 members of our national parliament only one Minister and three opposition TDs remained within the portals of the Dáil (soon to be refurbished at a cost of €17 million), for the final debate, before the Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seán Ó Fearghaíl, wished those not present a joyful, happy and relaxing holiday.

Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s electronic key fob machine in Leinster House, like the CCTV system in Thurles, obviously no longer appears to be functioning.

Planning For Semple’s Field In Thurles Placed On Hold

Tipperary County Council have decided to seek further planning information regarding a new multi-million Euro plan to transform the Kinane Stand at Semple Stadium, Thurles. Same is required by the council before granting their consent to planning proposals to an area, possibly better known as ‘The Old Stand’.

It had been expected that the council’s final decision would have been made known today, but further confirmation is now being sought on this proposal, through Wilson Architecture, Cork; latter commissioned to put together the initial planning application.

The Kinane Stand (Old Stand) area, with an existing holding capacity for some 14,500 sports fans, was last upgraded 12 years ago as part of a then major refurbishment project; same undertaken at a cost understood to have been in the region of €18 million.

Under this new planing application it was envisaged that an extra floor could be built to include the installation of changing rooms; a gym; physiotherapy space; a kitchen; stores; media rooms and a welcoming area.

These plans, initially lodged last April, involved the reconfiguration of the present ground floor seating area; including turnstiles; the construction of a new exit gate, together with three service hubs, latter providing access for wheelchair-accessible turnstiles to the upper floor area.