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Temporary Traffic Management, Turtulla, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Public Service Announcement – Commuters Take Note.

Turtulla Junction, N62 Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Temporary Traffic Management will be operational on the N62 at Turtulla Junction, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, beginning, Thursday October 16th 2025 until October 17th 2025.

Delays can be expected.

Mid-West Oireachtas Members Back Three-Tier Hospital Expansion Plan.

Oireachtas members from Clare and Limerick have given their backing to a three-tier plan to expand hospital capacity in the Mid-West, following publication of HIQA’s review of urgent and emergency care services in the region.

At a meeting in Limerick today, eight members of the Oireachtas agreed that all three options proposed by HIQA should be advanced in parallel, in order to relieve ongoing pressure at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Oireachtas members from Clare and Limerick listen to a presentation by Dr Terry Hennessy, at a meeting held at the Great National South Court Hotel today. 

Under the preferred approach, immediate investment would focus on expanding bed capacity on the existing UHL site at Dooradoyle. Medium-term development would see the establishment of a second UHL campus nearby comprising of out-patients department, diagnostics and adult mental health, with a longer-term goal of moving the maternity hospital and other acute services including a new Emergenct Department (ED) to the nearby site under shared governance. This would provide a high quality multi-generational and emergency care service for the Mid-West Region.

It was agreed that Option A combined with Option B will ultimately deliver Option C.

The meeting, held at the Great National South Court Hotel and convened by Clare TD Joe Cooney (Fine Gael), was attended by Minister Patrick O’Donovan (Fine Gael), Minister of State Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fáil), TDs Cathal Crowe and Willie O’Dea (Fianna Fáil), Senators Maria Byrne, Martin Conway and Dee Ryan, and Clare County Council Cathaoirleach Paul Murphy.

Oireachtas members from Clare and Limerick listen to a presentation by Dr Terry Hennessy, at a meeting held at the Great National South Court Hotel today. 

Dr Terry Hennessy, the HSE’s Regional Clinical Lead for Strategy and Development, briefed members on the significant constraints to expansion of the UHL site at Dooradoyle, the lack of capacity for that site on its own to deliver for the long-term future needs of the area, along with the HSE Mid-West short, medium and long-term plans for implementing the HIQA recommendations.

Following a positive and very constructive meeting, members agreed to support the HSE Mid-West’s commitment to pursuing all three strands and to engage with the Department of Health to secure full Government backing.
A follow-up meeting is planned for early November 2025 in Leinster House, with Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and senior department officials to be invited.

Thurles Blisters Burst After Just 6 Weeks.

Blister tactile paving, installed in early September of this year; same, as part of the long awaited and current upgrading at the junction at Irerrin Road and Kickham Street in Thurles, are already disintegrating.

New blister style tactile paving & kerbing shows signs of physical breakdown just 6 weeks after installation.

This paving is designed especially for visually impaired pedestrians (and those with the more modern affliction of staring intently at their mobile phone screens, surfing Google), while out walking.

Seriously, same should indicate controlled and uncontrolled street crossings, thus warning pedestrians that the pavement is about to end and the road begins.

The paving on this junction indicates an uncontrolled crossing and is earth buff (light earth brown) in colour, same designed colour to provide an additional visual cue for those with low vision.

Sadly, as in this case, engineers in their design, failed to understand that same are not suitable for busy street corners or for parking areas where 18 wheeler trucks halt, forced to park on a narrow street in an effort to off-load their merchandise.

Ah, sure it’s only another €1,000 or so of taxpayers money to spend to correct; a small price to pay for engineering stupidity.

Thurles Planning Alert From Tipperary County Council.

Application Ref: 2560982.
Applicant: Liam Judge.
Development Address: No. 2 Windsor Grove, Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Development Description: to construct 2 number semi detached bungalows, entrances, together with all associated site works
Status: N/A
Application Received: 02/10/2025
Decision Date: N/A
Further Details: http://www.eplanning.ie/TipperaryCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560982/0

Application Ref: 2560656.
Applicant: Coffitz Limited.
Development Address: Thomond Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Development Description: Change of use of existing ground floor area from retail/commercial use to veterinary clinic, with all associated siteworks.
Status: Conditional.
Application Received: 09/07/2025.
Decision Date: 01/10/2025.
Further Details: http://www.eplanning.ie/TipperaryCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560656/0

Proprietors Of A Thurles Home Refusing To Accept Another Winter Of Council Inaction.

For the second consecutive year, the proprietors of a house on the Dublin Road, east of Thurles, is being relentlessly flooded, and they are refusing to accept another winter of inaction.
The cause is not a natural calamity, but a man-made one: a raised, sloped footpath, installed by Tipperary County Council, now channels rainwater directly into their home.

Photograph of internal damage and rising damp caused by water ingress.
Pic: G. Willoughby.

Despite repeated calls to Thurles Municipal District Council staff, and despite entreaties to local elected councillors, not one single corrective step has been taken in the past two years.
After the heavy rain early this morning, we filmed video evidence-plain and unmistakable-that identifies water streaming down the garden path to flow under the front door, thus saturating the front hallway and creating rising damp, which today is visible, creeping mercilessly upward on the interior walls.

Outside, the tarmac footpath, which the council built, same is already sinking, forming a dangerous slope unto the property, turning the approach to the house into a funnel for floodwater.

We have this evening sent copies of the video and images to Ms. Sharon Scully (Thurles Municipal District Administrator) and Ms. Sinead Carr (CE, Tipperary County Council), asking that they immediately contact the elderly occupants, whom we have named in our correspondence.
The proprietors are terrified that a night of heavy rain will see their furniture floating, their home destroyed, and their security swept away.
The proprietors are now seeking immediate and urgent remedial action and full restitution for the damage caused by the councils inaction.