General « Thurles Information

Backlog In Issuing Drivers Licences in Tipperary

It would appear that the failure to repair craters in our road structure is’nt the only problem haunting North Tipperary County Council presently. Serious concern have now been expressed over the two month backlog in issuing driving licences by the said same County Council.

This issue may well result in those caught up in this delay, incurring penalty points and a hefty fine as a result.

North Tipperary County Council’s Customer Action Plan 2005 – 2009 states that you may apply for a new drivers licence or to renew your licence through the post or by calling to the Motor Taxation Section in Nenagh. On receipt of the completed drivers licence application, the section aim to issue you with your licence within three working days.

While this may be the aim of the said County Council the reality of the situation is far from the stated target.

North Tipperary TD Deputy Noel Coonan stated:

“The Council is currently processing applications for mid January and is endeavouring to address the arrears as soon as possible. People deserve a more efficient service from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government which governs County Councils. Applicants should not to be left without a valid drivers licence through no fault of their own. Constituents are frustrated with waiting times as they try to comply with policing laws, which require persons to be in possession of a driving licence when driving.
I’ve been in contact with the Council to assess the problem, seek a solution and offer any help I can give. Officials informed me that there is currently a backlog in the motor tax section in connection with the issuing of driving licences and this has arisen since last November.
The Head of Finance has informed me that in normal circumstances the staffing levels should be able to deal with the level of transactions in the section but due to circumstances outside of the Council’s control arrears have built up. The Council has recently allocated additional staff to address the arrears. It is also intended to re-assign additional staff to Motor Tax and Council management is seeking clarification from a Trade Union with regard to this proposal.
I welcome this response from Liam McCarthy, Head of Finance and Corporate Services in North Tipperary County Council and the steps he is taking to help the situation. Staff working in Motor Taxation are undoubtedly working as usual to the best of their ability but hindered by inefficient Government policies that continues to fail the people of North Tipperary.
I’m calling on Minister John Gormley to introduce efficiencies into local government to ensure the public gets the service it is entitled to.” Deputy Coonan concluded.

North Tipperary County Council’s Customer Action Plan 2005 – 2009 further states: We strive to continually improve the services we provide to the public and would welcome any comments or observations from our customers which can be submitted via e-mail to countysecretary@northtippcoco.ie or in writing to Corporate Services Section, North Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Limerick Road, Nenagh.

Clonmel Plan Hospital Action Meeting

A meeting is being held next Monday night at the Clonmel Park Hotel at 8.30pm, to raise further awareness of the current threat to hospital services in Clonmel.

The Save our Hospital Action Group holding the meeting will have as its guest speaker Dr Paud O’Regan, Consultant Physician at South Tipp General.

The hospital action group claim that the recent announcement of the closure of mental health services in Clonmel confirms that plans are already in place to remove all acute services from the hospital.

The HSE has announced the closure of St. Michael’s Hospital, with its services to be transferred to St. Luke’s Hospital in Co. Kilkenny.

Senior hospital clinicians and local politicians recently met Taoiseach Brian Cowen to discuss the surprise decision by the HSE to close this 49-bed acute psychiatric unit and Minister of State Martin Mansergh with consultants and local Oireachtas members, had requested a deferral of the decision until submissions could be taken from all those affected by the move.

At the February meeting of South Tipperary County Council recently, a motion called for a letter to be written from the council to the Minister for Health and CEO of the HSE requesting them to reverse the decision to remove all psychiatric services from South Tipperary.

The HSE told hospital management recently it had accepted the findings of the Mental Health Commission that St Michael’s Unit was “not fit for the purpose in caring for mental health patients”.

The Irish Mental Health Coalition (IMHC), previously called for the immediate appointment of a National Director for Mental Health by the HSE to address the absence of accountability for mental health services.

Present Weather Set To Continue Until March

The current spell of bitterly cold weather is set to continue until the end of February or early March, interspersed with the occasional day or two of mild weather,according to predictions issued today by Jonathan Powell from Positive Weather Solutions.

Met Éireann says prolonged outbreaks of snow are likely later today in west Connaught and Munster.

Opposition parties are calling on the Government to declare a national weather emergency and to mobilise the Defence Forces in assisting with road gritting.

Minister for Defence, Mr. Willie O'Dea TD

The Fianna Fail Defence Minister, Mr Willie O’Dea says members of the army may be deployed to help as the freezing weather looks set to continue. Large parts of the country are still in the grip of ice and snowy conditions today, as local authorities battle to keep roads clear and keep transport flowing. Before Christmas soldiers were deployed across the country to help residents and businesses during severe flooding in the South and West.

Speaking in Limerick this morning Willie O’Dea said they may be used again in the coming days.

“If you have a situation whereby people, such as farmers or people living in remote areas get isolated, can’t get food, can’t get fodder to cattle; then the army may very well have a role”, he said.

Italy has sent hundreds of soldiers to the streets of Milan to help ease circulation after heavy snowstorms and freezing temperatures closed airports and grounded trains, stranding thousands of commuters and holiday shoppers.

The Government’s Emergency Response Committee is to meet this morning to review the impact of the ongoing cold snap.Officials from the Departments of Transport, the Environment and Health will attend the meeting, as will representatives from the various emergency services.

Meanwhile, motorists are advised to look out for potential skid traps, black ice and frost (particularly on bridges).Black ice is most rampant on very cold days on wet roads, especially at night, on exposed bends, underneath trees and bridges and also on higher ground. Reduce speed as soon as you see a potential skid spot.

Fine Gael North Tipperary Deputy Noel Coonan said the Government must immediately:-
1. Put one body in charge of overseeing the national response.
2. Conduct an immediate audit of all grit supplies. Thousands of tons of low cost grit are readily available here in Ireland.
3. Assess the state of all significant roads, both national and regional, on an ongoing basis.
4. Plan ahead for the next weeks and months.

What To Do If You Find Yourself Skidding

1) Don’t brake fast under any circumstance – if it’s too late and you have already braked, release them immediately, then reapply, quicker but gently.

2) Reduce acceleration but don’t take your foot off the accelerator completely.

3) Use the highest gears possible under the conditions, and as you gently brake, move down in your gears to come to a gradual halt.

Happy New Year

Wishing all our readers and subscribers, where ever you reside, a very happy and prosperous new year, in 2010.
If you are out and about, remember to stay safe, have fun and be sure to spread good cheer!
Do remember that temperatures tonight are set to drop to as low as -9°C.
Severe frost is anticipated, so do drive, if you must, with extreme care and bear in mind that not all roads will be gritted.

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Perseid Meteor Shower

Sky watchers around Co.Tipperary will have a good chance of spotting the annual Perseid meteor shower which is expected to be quite spectacular, weather permitting, for anyone prepared to stay up late tonight.

The Perseid meteor shower has been observed in our skies for the last 2000 years, with the first known information about this meteor shower recorded in the Far East.

However, the absence of clear skies will not be the only drawback to those wishing to view this spectacular event, as the moon will also be high in the sky and its light will outshine some of the fainter meteors in the shower train.

Also referred to as the Burning Tears of St. Lawrence, the Perseid shower is made up of bits of debris from the parent body of the Comet Swift-Tuttle.

Note : St. Lawrence, whose feast day is August 10th, was burnt to death in AD 258 on an iron stove. Once when ordered by the Roman Emperor Valerian to turn over the treasures of his church – he presented the poor of his parish.

This debris, some no bigger than a grain of sand and at the largest no bigger than a marble in size, was laid down over the centuries as the Comet orbited the sun. In August, each year, the Earth passes through this stream of debris and the skies above the Northern Hemisphere become peppered with little bits of space debris which create this meteor shower spectacular.

Meteors visible to the eye in this display, can number as many as 60 per hour entering Earth’s atmosphere at an incredible 133,200 mph.

For best viewing advantage move away from interference caused by town and city lights. Rural areas usually allows you to view as much sky as possible with little distraction. If you have a lightweight folding deck chair and a rug bring them with you for added comfort as the temperature tonight will be quite low.

The Perseid meteors will appear to originate in the north eastern sky, near the constellation Perseus, and shoot off in many different directions.

Meteor showers and also random shooting stars are, as a general rule, best viewed during the predawn hours.