General « Thurles Information

Employers Now Registering For MyFutureFund.

77,000+ employers now already registered for MyFutureFund as employee portal opens on January 1st.

The Government has confirmed that more than 77,000 + employers, representing approximately 645,000 employees, have already registered on the MyFutureFund employer portal since it opened on December 1st last.

MyFutureFund is Ireland’s new automatic enrolment retirement savings system, due to begin from 1 January 1st 2026, aimed at employees not currently in a workplace pension. Eligibility is expected to cover employees aged 23 to 60, earning €20,000 or more across all employments, where they are not already part of a pension plan in the relevant employment. See Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU).

Contributions to begin in January.
From January 2026, contributions are set to commence at:

1.5% employee contribution (based on gross pay).
1.5% employer contribution.
0.5% State top-up.

Contribution rates will increase on a phased basis over a decade:

2026–2028: 1.5% / 1.5% / 0.5%
2029–2031: 3% / 3% / 1%
2032–2034: 4.5% / 4.5% / 1.5%
2035 onwards: 6% / 6% / 2%

How savings will be managed.
The Irish Government said contributions will be collected and invested on employees’ behalf in well-regulated investment funds, with returns building a retirement savings pot available at retirement.
The scheme is to be administered by the National Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA), which will handle enrolment, collection and investment of contributions, and related administration.

Charges and portability.
Participant charges under MyFutureFund include:

an administration fee of 55 cent per week (applying to active contributions),
and
investment management fees averaging just under 0.04% of assets under management.

The scheme operates a “pot follows the member” approach, allowing employees to carry savings from job to job, with no minimum waiting or vesting periods.

Next steps: employee portal opens New Year’s Day.
The next phase of the rollout is the launch of the employee portal on January 1st, 2026.
From mid-January, employees will be able to view their own contributions as well as those made by their employer and the State, once collected and processed by National Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA).

Dublin Woman Jailed For Online Threats To Tánaiste Mr Simon Harris.

A Dublin mother has been sentenced to six months in prison after sending a series of threatening and grossly offensive social media messages to An Tánaiste Mr Simon Harris.

Ms Sandra Barry, aged 40 years, with an address at Tor an Rí, Balgaddy, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to sending a “threatening or grossly offensive communication” with intent to cause harm, contrary to the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.

The court heard that the messages were sent on August 30th last,, 2025, with the injured party receiving messages on Instagram the following day. Gardaí identified Ms Barry following an investigation by the Garda Special Detective Unit, during which a warrant was obtained to examine the relevant account. The court was told some terms were used in an apparent attempt to bypass online safety filters.

In mitigation, the defence said the messages were sent during “three minutes of madness”, and that Ms Barry was now remorseful, and that she had since written a letter of apology. The court also heard she claimed to have no recollection of sending the messages and that she had recently changed anti-depressant medication.

Passing sentence, Judge Ms Michele Finan said such offences, committed “behind closed doors”, can have a catastrophic impact on recipients and a custodial sentence was warranted.

Ms Barry was granted €200 appeal bail after sentencing.

So what are the rules under Irish Law with regards to Hate Crime.

In Ireland, the laws governing hate-related offences are primarily set out in two pieces of legislation that distinguish between hate crimes (criminal acts targeting specific groups) and hate speech (inciting others to hatred).

(1) Hate Crimes: Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024.
This landmark legislation commenced on December 31st, 2024, marking the first time Ireland has had specific statutory provisions for hate crimes.

New “Aggravated” Offences: The Act creates new versions of existing crimes, such as assault, harassment, and criminal damage, that are “aggravated by hatred”.
Proof Requirements: A crime is considered a hate crime if the prosecution proves:
Motivation: The perpetrator was motivated (wholly or partly) by hatred towards a protected group.
Demonstration: Alternatively, a “demonstration test” allows for prosecution if the perpetrator demonstrated hatred (e.g., through slurs or gestures) at the time of the offence.
Sentencing: Offences proven to have a hate element attract significantly higher maximum penalties than their non-aggravated counterparts. If hatred is not proven, the individual can still be convicted of the basic criminal act (e.g., simple assault).

(2) Hate Speech: Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989.
While the 2024 Act focuses on physical acts, “stirring up” hatred remains governed by this 1989 Act.
It is an offence to communicate (spoken, written, or broadcast) material that is threatening, abusive, or insulting and intended or likely to stir up hatred against a protected group.
Newer plans to replace this with updated hate speech laws were shelved in late 2024, due to a lack of consensus on free speech protections.

(3) Protected Characteristics.
Under current Irish law, “hatred” is defined by reference to the following protected characteristics:

Race and Color.
Nationality and National or Ethnic Origin (including the Traveller community).
Religion (including absence of belief).
Sexual Orientation.
Gender (including gender expression and identity).
Sex Characteristics (physical/biological features).
Disability.
Descent (e.g., ancestry).

(4) Aggravating Factors in General Sentencing
For any other crime not specifically listed as an “aggravated” offence in the 2024 Act, judges are required to treat evidence of a hate motive as an aggravating factor during sentencing. The court must state on the record that the sentence was increased due to this hate element.

Tipperary Residents Advised To Get Vaccinated as Hospitals See Rising Flu Pressures.

As influenza activity continues to climb across Ireland, the HSE is calling on eligible members of the public to get their flu vaccine now, before cases escalate further.

Recent data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) shows that influenza activity rose in week 44 of 2025, with the highest number of cases so far among adults aged 65 years and older. Hospitalisations have also increased. Multiple strains, A(H3), A(H1)pdm09 and influenza B, have already been detected this season.

Local hospitals, including Tipperary University Hospital, and Limerick University Hospital, are under heavy pressure, with Emergency Departments experiencing large numbers of people presenting. As a result, many hospitals have introduced visitor restrictions to help manage the rise in flu cases.

With flu cases rising sharply, the vaccine remains the safest and most effective way to protect yourself, your family, and the wider community. Speaking to Liberty Pharmacy (Prop: Kate Kennedy) this morning, (Premises situated at No. 34 Lower Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary Tel: 0504 90604), their spokesperson stated, “We continue to have appointments available and now is the time to act, while the vaccine is still readily accessible.”

Keep in mind: Vaccination is free under the national programme for people aged 60 and over, children aged 2–17, pregnant women, health-care workers, carers, household contacts of people at higher risk, residents of long-stay facilities, and those with certain health conditions or regular contact with poultry, waterfowl or pigs.

Getting vaccinated helps prevent serious illness — and helps protect those around you.

Tipperary Claim Seven Places in 2025 PwC Hurling All-Stars.

All-Ireland winners Tipperary lead the way with seven selections, while Cork secure four, Kilkenny two, and Galway and Dublin one each in the elite XV of the year.

The 2025 Hurling All-Stars have been announced, and reigning All-Ireland champions Tipperary lead the way with seven selections, following their Liam MacCarthy Cup success.

Tipperary’s Outstanding Representation.

Tipperary’s haul comprises: Rhys Shelly (Goalkeeper); Robert Doyle (Defence); Eoghan Connolly (Defence); Ronan Maher (Centre-half-back; Captain); Jake Morris (Forward); Andrew Ormond (Forward)
and John McGrath (Forward).
Shelly was a unanimous choice in goal after a season of standout performances.

Other Counties Recognised

Cork have four players selected: Seán O’Donoghue, Ciarán Joyce, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Brian Hayes.
Kilkenny secure two places: Huw Lawlor (his third All-Star) and Martin Keoghan.
Galway’s Cathal Mannion makes the midfield.
Dublin’s Cian O’Sullivan is selected in the half-forward line, the county’s first All-Star in this code since 2013.

Looking Ahead to Individual Honours

Three players; Jake Morris, John McGrath (both Tipperary) and Brian Hayes (Cork), are certainly in contention for the “Hurler of the Year“.

For the “Young Hurler of the Year“, contenders include Robert Doyle (Tipperary), Darragh McCarthy (Tipperary) and possibly Adam English (Limerick).

The awards ceremony takes place at the RDS in Dublin on Friday evening next and will also be streamed live.

Thurles.Info congratulates all the recipients on their exceptional contributions throughout the 2025 season and look forward to the gala evening where further individual honours will be presented live on the night.

Historical Chalices Of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

**“Walter of the Rosaries Chalice”.** *(Walter na bPaidríní)*.
*Pic: G. Willoughby* ©

If you ask Thurles [Map Ref.] people what is the oldest manufactured object in daily use in this area, they might not immediately think of the chalices located in their local Church. This may well be so, and the story behind each chalice may be interesting in itself, to lovers of local and Irish history.

Our special thanks to historian and researcher Very Rev. Monsignor Dr Maurice Dooley, AP, Parish of Loughmore, Templemore, Co. Tipperary, and former lecturer on Canon Law at St Patrick’s College, Cathedral, Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.