The public are warmly invited to attend a public meeting for the Upper Suir Priority Area, taking place on Tuesday, 25th November at 7:00pm in Murphy’s Pub, Main Street, Templemore, Co. Tipperary.
The event is seen as a great opportunity to come together, as a community, and talk about the health of our local rivers and streams.
We will be sharing updates on water quality in the Upper Suir catchment, discussing local challenges and opportunities, and exploring how we can work together to protect and enhance our shared water environment.
Flooding on Emmet Street Thurles yesterday, totally due to the failure by Tipperary Council to remove sediment and weeds from the River Suir over a 15 year period. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Whether you’re a local resident, landowner, angler, farmer, business owner, or simply someone who cares about your local waterways, your input and ideas are very welcome.
This meeting is part of a wider effort to support community-led action for water and ensure that local voices are heard in decision-making.
There’ll be time for questions, discussion, and a chance to meet others who are passionate about the Upper Suir and its future.
Ireland has failed to achieve the targeted emission reductions during the first Carbon Budget period (2021-2025).
Instead of the maximum emissions of 295 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2eq) set out in the Carbon Budget to 2025, we will overshoot by about 10 Mt CO2eq. Whilst acknowledging progress made, the Council warns that this overshoot will need to be paid back in the next Carbon Budget period (2026-2030) making it increasingly difficult to achieve.
The biggest blockage to Ireland’s progress remains our dependence on expensive, harmful fossil fuels, which were subsidised by €4.7bn of taxpayers’ money in 2024.
Launching the final chapter of its Annual Review the Council once again, called out Transport, where emissions remain stubbornly high. Both the Government and the public can do more collectively and individually to make significant emissions reductions. The Council calls for increased expenditure on public transport ensuring efficient, reliable and timely services, increased grants for less expensive electric vehicles (EVs) and the rapid implementation of a demand management strategy to help drive down emissions in this sector.
In addition, the Council has emphasised the critical role that Local Authorities play in driving climate action at community level, especially with the establishment of flagship “decarbonisation zones” within each local authority area. These zones create momentum and deliver locally tailored solutions for households and businesses.
The Council re-emphasised the significant opportunity that Ireland has to invest in households, communities and businesses, rather than paying extremely punitive compliance costs estimated to be up to €26bn for failing to meet EU targets.
Commenting, Ms Marie Donnelly, Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council said, “In our first Carbon Budget period, progress has undoubtedly been made in the built environment with the roll out of retrofits in our homes, the increased uptake of protected urea in agriculture and the growth in the development of renewable energy especially wind and solar, including on our houses. However, we need to redesign how we commute, heat homes, and power the economy. That means real investment in people, infrastructure, and communities, not more delay.”
“We have the opportunity and the resources to transform Ireland, both in terms of reducing emissions and preparing for future climate events. We must act now because if we don’t, we will pay the financial and societal price by losing out on secure and affordable energy, a healthier and more sustainable society, both today, and for future generations.”
Ahead of Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union, the Council has urged the Government to fully integrate all climate and energy-related EU directives into Irish law within the legally binding time limit.
Application Ref: 2560917. Applicant: Tomas Ryan. Development Address: Tipperary Equestrian Centre, Monakeeba Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Development Description: the extension of existing sand arena together with all associated site works. Status: Conditional. Application Received: 17/09/2025. Decision Date: 06/11/2025. Further Details:http://www.eplanning.ie/TipperaryCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560917/0.
Project first proposed in 2009 seen as key to easing Thurles congestion and boosting local economy.
The long-awaited Thurles bypass is expected to feature in the forthcoming revision of the National Development Plan (NDP), which is due to be formally announced on Tuesday, November 25th.
First proposed in 2009, the project was shelved following the economic crash, but has remained a long-term priority for the business community. The long awaited bypass is viewed as being critical to easing chronic traffic congestion in the town and hopefully unlocking the towns wider economic potential.
Damage caused on a regular basis by heavy goods vehicles. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Traffic volumes in Thurles, particularly heavy goods vehicles passing through Liberty Square, have long been a source of frustration for residents and businesses, as two national secondary routes currently converge in the town centre.
Damage caused on a regular basis by heavy goods vehicles. Pic: G. Willoughby
Detailed design work on associated relief roads has also been completed, with supporting documentation now under review as part of the statutory approval process.
This news indicating that the bypass will proceed, will be greatly welcomed by both business and community leaders in Thurles same seen as essential to ensuring Thurles can thrive as a safe and accessible regional hub.
If fully confirmed in the updated NDP, the Thurles bypass would represent one of the most significant infrastructure commitments for mid-Tipperary in recent decades. Construction is expected to follow later in the plan’s timeline, subject to final funding and planning approvals.
The revised National Development Plan will be formally announced on Tuesday, November 25th, and it will then fall to our local representatives to help drive forward a project they have in the past been slow to champion.
For Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency to carry real democratic weight, the Government must move beyond token consultation and create genuine channels for citizens to shape the nation’s European agenda.
How the Irish Public Can Engage Meaningfully in Ireland’s EU Presidency Consultation (2026).
From 1st July to 31st December 2026, Ireland will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union; a position that will place the Irish Government at the centre of EU policymaking for six crucial months. Ahead of this, the Department of Foreign Affairs has now invited views from domestic stakeholders and the public on the priorities that should shape Ireland’s Presidency programme.
Domestic stakeholders and the public who wish to express views – Please See HERE.
On paper, this is an admirable democratic exercise. In practice, however, the distance between the government and the citizen in Ireland has grown markedly, especially in recent years. Many people find it increasingly difficult to have queries answered by TDs or to receive substantive engagement from government Ministers and government Departments. Political dialogue has become one-directional with official statements flowing outward, but public input rarely finds its way back in.
To further prove this point I personally contacted 14 elected Irish TD’s, at the highest level, via email, during the time of this present government and, indeed, the previous government. I received acknowledgements from all 14, but sadly never any replys to the various queriesI thenhighlighted.
If this consultation is to be more than a box-ticking exercise, the Government must create mechanisms that allow citizens to contribute ideas, challenge assumptions, and hold policy-makers accountable for how their feedback is used.
A number of practical steps could make that possible: Regional Forums: Host open hearings in towns and cities across Ireland — akin to the Citizens’ Assembly format — where ordinary citizens, community organisations, and businesses can voice views on EU priorities such as energy security, migration, the digital economy, and climate policy. Online Platform: Establish a transparent online portal where individuals can submit policy suggestions, endorse others’ proposals, and see how those inputs are reflected in the final Presidency agenda. Sectoral Round-tables: Engage directly with universities, trade unions, youth groups, farmers, and SMEs to capture the breadth of Irish experience and expertise. Public Accountability: Publish a detailed summary showing which ideas were adopted or rejected, and why.
This kind of participatory approach would do more than enhance policy legitimacy. It would also help to restore public faith in democratic dialogue, at a time when trust in institutions and in politics itself is under strain.
An inclusive, transparent consultation process would ensure that Ireland’s EU Presidency is informed not only by officials in Dublin, but by the lived experience of Irish society. That would make the EU Presidency not merely an administrative duty, but a national expression of Ireland’s values and voice in Europe.
Note:The deadline for receipt of submissions is Friday 12th December 2025. If you have any questions, please send your query to the email address hereunder.
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