Finance « Thurles Information

Local Area Credit Union Art Competition 2013

Pictured above, at a recent presentation, are the prize winners of the Credit Union Art Competition (Local Area) with Mr DJ Darcy (Thurles Credit Union President).

Credit Union Poster Competition Winners 2013

7 Years & Under: 1st Prize, Amber Bannon, Ballycahill N.S.; 2nd Prize, Emma Carey Scoil Iosagáin, Upperchurch; 3rd Prize, Sophie Delaney, Moycarkey N.S., Pouldine.
8 Years – 10 Years: 1st Prize, Roisín Bambrick, Leugh N.S; 2nd Prize, Louise Wellwood, Urlingford N.S. Co Kilkenny,; 3rd Prize, Kevin Fitzgerald, Littleton N.S..
11 Years – 13 Years: 1st Prize, Amy Bourke, Presentation Secondary, Thurles; 2nd Prize, Charlie Tobin, St Kieran’s N.S., Johnstown, Co Kilkenny; 3rd Prize, Joe O’Donoghue, Coláiste Mhuire CO-ED, Thurles.
14 Years – 17 Years: 1st Prize, Emily Bourke, Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles; 2nd Prize, Zoe Taylor, Presentation Secondary, Thurles; 3rd Prize, Michelle Hickey, Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown,Co Kilkenny.
18 Years & Over: 1st Prize, Kelly Morris, Colaiste Mhuire CO ED, Thurles; 2nd Prize, Roland Santos, Colaiste Mhuire CO ED, Thurles.

Special Category Winners 2013

7 Years & Under: 1st Prize, Paul Crowe St Kevin’s N.S. Littleton.
11 Years – 13 Years: 1st Prize, Eoin Sharkey, St Kieran’s N.S. Johnstown, Co Kilkenny.
14 Years – 17 Years: 1st Prize, James Wellwood Colaiste Mhuire Johnstown, Co Kilkenny.
18 Years & Over: 1st Prize, Bernadette Dunne, Millennium Resource Centre, Glengoole; 2nd Prize, Pat Purcell, Millennium Resource Centre, Glengoole; 3rd Prize, Donie Horan, Millennium Resource Centre, Glengoole.

Congratulations to all who took part in this popular local area Credit Union event.

New Development By RehabCare Officially Opens In Thurles

A new development by RehabCare and Newgrove Housing Association, which provides services for 20 people with autism and intellectual disabilities will be officially opened tomorrow (November 29th) by Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport Mr Alan Kelly TD.

These purpose-built facilities in Stradavoher, on the outskirts of Thurles town, include a day service providing support to 11 young adults with autism, intellectual disabilities and mental health difficulties, a high support residential service for four young adults with autism and intellectual disabilities with 24 hour support from staff, a house which offers supported accommodation to four adults with intellectual disabilities and a self-contained annex to provide independent living for one person with a disability.

The construction of the day service resource centre was funded by the HSE MidWest and through fund raising by Rehab Group. €1.5million in funding was received from North Tipperary County Council for the site acquisition and construction costs.

The housing services were funded through the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government’s Capital Assistance Scheme which provides funding to provide housing for local people with disabilities, and Department of Environment Community and Local Government Communal Facilities Grant which was processed through North Tipperary County Council.

In addition to the new facilities at Stradavoher, RehabCare also provides a number of other services for young adults with autism and intellectual disability in North Tipperary. These include two residential services in Two Mile Borris and a respite care service in Cluain Glas.

Date: Friday, 29th November 2013.
Time: 11:00am.
Venue: RehabCare, Stradavoher, Thurles.

ESB Unions Warn Of Possible Lights Out

Staff at the ESB have overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action, in their row over a €1.6 billion deficit in the company pension scheme.

Workers are opposing the company’s decision to pay a dividend of €78m to the State during the summer and a special dividend of €400m to the Exchequer, following the sale of certain assets, while this €1.6 billion deficit remains outstanding.

In total 87.5% of those balloted backed industrial action, with 12.5% opposed, from a turnout of 81%. In the Unite union, the vote in favour of strike action was as high as 89%. Four employees have already taken legal action against the company over this issue.

While unions have been invited to talks, same have not yet responded and no decision has been made as yet to serve notice of future industrial action.

While the ESB acknowledged the potentially serious impact on their customers, certainly hard struggling businesses will have little or no tolerance for any disruption to their electricity service, coming up to the Christmas season.

Irish Consumers pay on average €0.22518 per kWh for electricity, the 6th highest cost in Europe while the United Kingdom pay just €0.17078, France €0.14466, Greece €0.14073 and Poland €0.14618 only per kWh.

Tipperary ATM Users Beware.

Cash Automated Teller Machine (ATM) users are being warned once again about a new skimming device being used by a gang of organised criminals.

Reports indicate that the gang, to date over the past two months, has targeted cash machines in Donegal, Galway, Limerick, Dublin and Cork, while Co Tipperary is not as yet known to have been targeted.

However Tipperary and Thurles students and employees residing in Dublin have been targeted by these skimming devices while attempting to access their accounts.

In the case of one Thurles individual her account was skimmed in Dublin and within one hour was used to attempt the purchase of three iPods in New York City. Happily the transaction was quickly identified by her Thurles Ulster Bank branch, who immediately contacted her, thus halting the criminal transaction. Apparently unlike Ireland, card users in New York are not asked for PIN numbers when using cards to transact cash, thus making it easy for these organised criminal gangs to operate.

It is understood that these hi-tech card readers have also been wired to some in-store ATMs, so do beware, and be again reminded to always cover your PIN number when using any Automated Teller Machine.

ISME Annual Conference

An Announcement and a Little Thurles Humour from Thurles Born Mark Fielding, CEO at ISME;

(Click on poster image for larger resolution.)

With a footfall of over 400 members, the ISME Annual Conference is the place to be on Friday 8th November next in the RDS Concert Hall, Dublin 4, when Matt Cooper will chair what promises to be the Business Conference of the Year.

AGENDA:
John Fanning, Lecturer in Branding and Marketing Communications in the Smurfit Business School will give us his insight into BRANDING; “Size doesn’t Matter.”
Dr. Gints Apals, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia for Ireland asks the question; “How will Ireland fare, Post Troika?” He will give REAL examples of what is in store for Ireland.
Tom Healy, Director of the Nevin Institute.,
Prof. John McHale, Chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.
Conall Ó Móráin, Presenter & Columnist, to discuss and debate the future for Ireland Post Troika and how it will affect SMEs.
Fintan O’Toole, a strong critic of political corruption in Ireland, brings a sharp focus to; “The Rise, Fall and Aftermath of the Irish Celtic Tiger.”