Finance « Thurles Information

Thurles Road Signs & Road Safety Failures Highlight Council Waste.

We have been watching it, and yes, yet another road sign on Liberty Square, in Thurles, has met its “Waterloo”, demolished by traffic attempting to turn west on a narrow street scape that has become a hazard since its so-called upgrade.

**Sign on Liberty Square, central, left prostrate for 6 days**.

As with the nearby ESB cabinet highlighted on September 7th last, the sign was positioned far too low to be visible to drivers. This latest casualty has lain in the middle of Liberty Square for six full days before being retrieved today, a symbol of official neglect.

This pattern has become all too familiar. In the past three years alone, railings at the Slievenamon Road junction have been flattened three times by heavy vehicles. Five signposts, installed perilously close to narrow traffic lanes, have been damaged. Two remain not replaced. Add these collisions to continuously adjusted pedestrian crossing lights, to a set of traffic lights, not to mention street bicycle racks and everyone can see why Thurles needs a bypass.

**Six damaged traffic signs on a 4.7 km *(2.9 miles)* stretch of roadway near Thurles, Co. Tipperary**.

The problem is not just confined to Thurles. On the short 4.7 km (2.9 miles) stretch of road, between the villages of Littleton and Horse & Jockey; same a six-minute drive, I observed six damaged signs just today. (See above picture). Two remain lying flattened at the scene; four have been removed altogether.
In at least two years, Tipperary County Council has made no effort to replace any of them. Which begs the obvious question, if these signs were dispensable for two years, why were they installed in the first place? The answer points to waste; waste of taxpayers’ money and a lack of responsibility in both planning and maintenance.

While motorists and pedestrians deal daily with poor visibility and dangerous road layouts, Tipperary County Council continues to spend without accountability, leaving the public to pay the price in both safety and wasted resources.

The evidence shown above speaks for itself. The waste of taxpayers’ money by Tipperary County Council still continues, unchecked.

Compensation Package for Shannon-to-Dublin Water Pipeline.

Uisce Éireann agrees compensation package for Shannon-to-Dublin water pipeline.

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

Uisce Éireann has reached agreement with the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) on a voluntary compensation package for farmers and landowners along the route of its proposed Shannon-to-Dublin water pipeline.

The deal, which follows months of negotiation, marks a key milestone in the Water Supply Project. It includes upfront compensation payments for landowners affected by the pipeline’s construction and operation.

The public utility said the package reflects the project’s national importance while helping to mitigate its impact on farmland. It is now engaging directly with more than 500 landowners who were issued way-leave offers in July. If accepted, the agreements will give Uisce Éireann the rights to lay, operate, and maintain the underground pipeline in advance of a formal planning application.

The deadline for returning consent forms has been extended from September 23rd to October 7th to give farmers more time to consider the offer and seek advice.

A Strategic Infrastructure Development application will be submitted later this year.

Uisce Éireann argues the project is vital to secure future water supplies, citing the greater Dublin Area’s heavy dependence on the River Liffey, which serves 1.7 million people.

Programme Director Mike Healy said demand in the region is forecast to rise by 34% by 2044:
“This combination of a growing supply deficit and lack of resilience is simply not sustainable. This agreement is a major step towards delivery of this essential infrastructure, and we will continue to engage with landowners and communities along the route.”

Thurles Waiting: Relief Road Moves Forward, Bypass Kicked Down the Road.

Tipperary County Council has confirmed it now owns all the land needed for the long-promised Thurles Inner Relief Road.
But with no funding in place for construction, locals fear it is yet another stalling tactic while the badly needed, long awaited Bypass Ring Road is left on the back-burner until at least 2040.

**The now forgotten ‘Thurles Bypass’ plans**.

The scheme, first floated years ago, would provide a 1.1 km road link from Slievenamon Road at the Clongour Road junction (N62) to Mill Road. It would include five new junctions, a 50-metre arch bridge across the River Suir, and associated lighting. The land, all of it lying within the Suir River floodplain, has been purchased by the Council, though the cost of same remains undisclosed.

Land granted courtesy of other residents along the Mill Road will allow for a long awaited footpath extension to form part of a safe walking route in the area, affectionately known currently as “Fat Arse Boulevard”.

Traffic modelling suggests the additional bridge might, cut congestion in the town centre at best by 15%.

But for many residents, the fanfare around this land acquisition rings hollow. Without construction funding, the Inner Relief Road risks remaining just another paper project for between 3-5 years.

Locals argue this recent announcement is designed to mask the continued failure to deliver a 50 year old Ring Road plan; latter a project seen as essential to tackle an ever increasing gridlock in the town.

Once again, they say, Thurles has been left waiting and badly let down by local politicians latter who have two offices funded by taxpayers within the town centre.

School Secretaries & Caretakers Strike Called Off.

The union has confirmed that a central part of the deal is a Government commitment to negotiate comparable pension entitlements for all staff.

Fórsa trade union has called off its strike action by school Secretaries and Caretakers, having reaching an agreement with the present Government through the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Fórsa’s Head of Education, Mr Andy Pike, welcomed the breakthrough, describing it as “a major step forward” for their members.
He said the commitment to negotiate pensions represented a “significant advance” and that progress on leave and payroll would provide a fair basis for staff to return to work.

The agreement also provides for discussions on a range of workplace issues, including a new pay framework for caretakers; access to bereavement and sick leave; acute illness protocols and the full implementation of payroll arrangements.

The government has welcomed Fórsa’s decision to suspend strike action and enter discussions. They have praised the resilience of school communities during this dispute, while urging both sides to approach talks in good faith.

Formal discussions under the council of the WRC, will commence on Wednesday, September 10th next.

Irish Government Announce €1.75 Million Fund For IPAS Family Support.

The Irish Government announces a €1.75 million fund to support children, young people, and families in International Protection Accommodation (IPAS).

Fund will be delivered locally through Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC).
CYPSC bring together the main statutory, community and voluntary providers of services to children and young people with projects designed to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people in IPAS.
This 2025 Funding Framework was designed in collaboration with the CYPSC National Office at Tusla – Child and Family Agency.
Tipperary CYPSC to run a project promoting community integration by linking children staying in IPAS accommodation with local sports clubs.

CYPSC are a key structure identified by Government to plan and co-ordinate services for children and young people in every county in Ireland. Policy and strategic direction for the CYPSC initiative is provided by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. There are 27 CYPSC nationwide and operational leadership is provided by TUSLA – Child and Family Agency through CYPSC National Office.

CYPSC bring together the main statutory, community and voluntary providers of services to children and young people in each county. CYPSC work to enhance interagency co-operation at both a local and national level with the goal of improving outcomes for children and young people (including those aged 0-24 years).

The CYPSC international protection fund was first established in 2023. The fund has successfully delivered a broad range of initiatives supporting children and young people seeking international protection in Ireland.

The framework for the 2025 fund was designed in collaboration with CYPSC National Office within Tusla – Child and Family Agency. The framework sets out the objectives, scope, and operational details of the fund. Local CYPSC were invited to propose a range of initiatives and projects falling under a range of objectives.

The objectives, which are aligned with the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, include:

Community Integration.
Health and wellbeing.
Supports for Parents.
Emergency Accommodation.
Pathways to Independence.

Some examples of the projects selected to receive funding this year and that will be delivered by CYPSC, in collaboration with local partners, include:

Tipperary CYPSC: Same will run a project promoting community integration by linking children staying in IPAS accommodation with local sports clubs.
Kildare CYPSC: Same will provide an educational project for 18-24 year olds looking at career options, horticultural training and experience, language supports, CV and interview preparation supports, job readiness skills, and personal development.
Cork CYPSC: Same will run a project that aims to enable parents in emergency IPAS accommodation to teach their children culturally aligned cooking skills and good eating habits.
Donegal CYPSC: Same will provide a surf camp that will serve as a platform for intercultural exchange by encouraging teamwork, mutual understanding, and friendships for children and young people from diverse backgrounds.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown CYPSC: Same will provide access to a Sensory Attachment Intervention programme useful for children and adults who have suffered trauma.