Tipperary County Council has announced a series of temporary road closures in Thurles to allow for painting maintenance works in the town centre. The N62 on O’Donovan Rossa Street in the town will be closed at AIB Bank corner on three consecutive Sundays; 17th, 24th, and 31st May 2026, between 6:00am and 8:00pm each day.
Same closure is necessary to facilitate painting works to the exterior of the A.I.B. bank building. While these works are relatively short-term, some disruption to traffic in the area is expected during the specified hours.
Motorists travelling through Thurles town will be diverted via Cúchulainn Road and onto Parnell Street, while heavy goods vehicles will be rerouted along Jimmy Doyle Road. As with similar roadworks across the county, clearly signposted diversion routes will be in place to help minimise disruption and keep traffic moving safely.
Drivers are advised to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and follow all local signage, while the works are underway.
Suirside Place Thurles Co. Tipperary(Eircode E41 PE82) Work Dates Proposed: 11/05/2026 – 06/09/2026 Development Type: Assembly and Recreation Development Overview: Renovation of 3 Toilets and cloakrooms, Closing doors from toilets to classrooms and opening up doors onto corridor. Replacing doors from classrooms to Corridor all on top floor of Ursuline primary school. These works do not affect Part A or Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.
The number of individuals accessing emergency homeless accommodation has reached a record high, highlighting ongoing pressures within the housing system despite recent rental reforms.
New figures show that 17,517 people were using emergency accommodation in the final week of March, up from 17,308 the previous month. This total includes 11,946 adults and 5,571 children, both representing the highest levels recorded to date.
Tánaiste Mr Simon Harris acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that homelessness in Ireland “is far too high” and emphasizing that the level of child homelessness “cannot be accepted.” He confirmed that a targeted action plan addressing child and family homelessness is expected to be published shortly.
The latest data reflects a 46% increase in homelessness since the removal of the pandemic-era ban on no-fault evictions in April 2023, when the total stood at 11,988 people. The upward trend has continued steadily in the years and months since.
Officials note that the figures account only for those in emergency accommodation and do not include individuals sleeping rough or those housed in settings such as hospitals, asylum centres, or domestic violence shelters.
This report marks the first assessment since the introduction of new rental regulations in March, including reforms around six-year tenancies. The government maintains that these measures are designed to enhance tenant security and encourage housing supply. However, critics argue the changes could lead to rising rents and increased eviction-related homelessness.
Under the updated rules, landlords with four or more tenancies are prohibited from issuing no-fault evictions for new leases starting from March. Smaller landlords may still terminate tenancies under specific conditions—such as financial hardship or accommodating a family member—but are restricted from resetting rent levels until the six-year tenancy period concludes.
The government has reiterated its commitment to addressing the housing crisis, with further policy measures anticipated in the coming weeks.
With energy costs still unpredictable, Irish households are being encouraged to take a more active role in understanding and managing their electricity use.
Why this guide matters now. Energy affordability remains a real concern across Ireland. Much of the country’s electricity still depends on imported natural gas, leaving households exposed to global price swings. Against this backdrop, the guide is designed to give consumers more control, both in how they understand their bills and how they use energy day to day.
Understanding what you’re actually paying for. One of the biggest challenges for consumers is simply decoding their electricity bill. The guide explains key components such as:
Unit rates (cost per kilowatt-hour).
Standing charges (daily service cost).
Levies and taxes like VAT.
Overall consumption measured in kWh.
It also highlights that factors like home insulation, appliance efficiency, and household size all influence energy usage. In short: the bill isn’t just about how much electricity you use, it’s also about when and how you use it.
Smarter usage equals lower costs. A major focus of the guide is helping households shift their habits. One simple but effective tip is to avoid peak hours. Electricity is typically most expensive between 5:00pm and 7:00pm, when demand is highest. Running high-energy appliances, like showers, ovens, or tumble dryers, outside these times can make a noticeable difference over time. Instead, households are encouraged to move usage to off-peak periods, such as late evening or overnight.
The role of Smart Meters. Smart meters are central to this shift. Already installed in more than two million Irish homes, they provide real-time data on energy use and open the door to new pricing options. With a smart meter, households can access time-of-use tariffs, where electricity is cheaper during off-peak hours. This means you can actively choose when to use energy, and save money by doing so. However, the guide also makes it clear: savings depend on behaviour. If most of your energy use still happens during peak hours, costs could remain high.
New ways to save (and even earn). Beyond smart meters, the guide points to emerging options for households:
Smart tariffs tailored to usage patterns.
Electric vehicle plans with cheaper overnight charging.
Microgeneration schemes, where solar panel users can sell excess electricity back to the grid.
These options reflect a broader shift toward more flexible, consumer-driven energy systems.
The bigger picture. While short-term savings matter, the guide also looks at long-term solutions. Reducing Ireland’s reliance on imported fossil fuels, through electrification and renewable energy. Same is seen as key to stabilising costs in the future. For households, that means small changes today, like better insulation or smarter energy use, which can contribute to both lower bills and a more sustainable energy system.
Final thought. Energy bills don’t have to feel like a mystery. With clearer information and smarter tools, households now have more power than ever to control their costs. And in a world of fluctuating energy prices, that control could make all the difference.
Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions from power generation and industry down by 5.5 per cent in 2025.
In 2025, greenhouse gas emissions from Irish power generation and industrial companies covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) decreased by 5.5 per cent.
Emissions decreased by 8.9 per cent from the electricity generation sector driven by cessation of coal use at Moneypoint, an increase in renewables and increased importation of electricity.
Manufacturing industry emissions decreased by 2.5 per cent driven by a variety of factors including the use of alternative lower carbon fuels and a decrease in clinker production in the cement sector.
In contrast, greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, reported to Ireland, increased by just under 2 per cent compared to 2024, which reflects continued growth in this sector.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today released its preliminary analysis of greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). In 2025, emissions from Irish power generation and industrial companies decreased by 5.5 per cent (over 620,000 tonnes) to 10.67 million tonnes of CO2. This compares with a decrease of approximately 6.9 per cent across Europe, according to data released by the EU Commission.
The decrease in emissions from Ireland’s power generation and industry sectors in 2025 was driven by a combination of factors.
Power generation: The use of coal at ESB Moneypoint ceased in June 2025 which has led to a 49 per cent reduction in emissions from this station. On a national basis, there was a slight increase in renewable electricity (up by 1 per cent as a percentage of demand) and an increase in net imports of electricity from 14 per cent to 17 per cent as a percentage of demand.
Cement industries: There was a 3.6% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from cement industries due to both a drop in production of cement clinker (a key component of cement) and an increase in alternative fuel use as the demand for less carbon intensive construction products has increased.
Commenting today, Dr Eimear Cotter, EPA Director General, said: “The reduction in emissions from power generation and industrial activities covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) indicates progress in Ireland’s shift toward cleaner energy and more sustainable manufacturing. Since the establishment of EU ETS in 2005, there has been a decrease in emissions of over 52 per cent for the relevant sectors in Ireland which highlights the importance of this policy tool in driving decarbonisation.”
Aviation: Emissions from flights within the European Economic Area reported to Ireland increased by almost 2 per cent compared to 2024, to over 13.4 million tonnes. This is now well above the pre-pandemic levels of 12.8 million tonnes and reflects the ongoing growth of traffic in this sector. The use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) has increased since 2024 but there is scope for further uptake of these fuels.
Dr Maria Martin, EPA Senior Manager, said: “There is a continued need for all sectors included in the EU ETS to play their part. While power generation and industry both recorded reductions in emissions, the dairy processing industries increased their emissions in 2025 suggesting that more work needs to be done to decouple growth in this sector from carbon emissions.”
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