Politics « Thurles Information

Wanted Woman Dolores Cahill On Run From Gardaí.

Anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist; former University College Dublin (UCD) professor and unsuccessful Co. Tipperary election candidate, Ms Dolores Cahill, has revealed to a misguided following that she remains hidden in a remote location, following a warrant having been already issued by a Dublin court, for her immediate arrest.

Dolores Cahill, a former member of the minor right-wing, hard Eurosceptic political party in Ireland, which call, themselves, ‘The Irish Freedom Party’, was one of 11 candidates to contest the 2020 Irish General Election, held on Saturday February 8th, 2020, with none of their candidates being successfully elected.

Dolores Cahill, claiming to represent Co. Tipperary, came second-last in the Tipperary constituency, with only a miserable 521 first preference votes. Following her election failure her agents ceased to function, in the removal of her election posters here in Thurles, for almost one year.

The former UCD professor has now admitted that she is actively travelling around Ireland in an attempt not to get arrested and is keeping a low profile for fear of going to prison.

In December 2021 Meta, latter now Facebook’s parent company, removed Dolores Cahill social media page, as part of their crackdown on Covid-19 misinformation on its platform.

Previously, Gardaí had investigating whether Ms Cahill was involved in a group which encouraged a severely ill Covid patient to leave a Co Donegal hospital. Mr Joe McCarron sadly died after being re-admitted to hospital several days later.

A bench warrant for Ms Cahill was issued on January 25th last after the aforementioned failed to appear before a Dublin court on the previous day. Her failed appearance concerned an incident at Dublin Airport on September 6th, 2020, where she was accused of failing to adhere to guidelines and other shortcomings, when asked to comply with the directions of members of An Garda Síochána.

Planning Application Objections By Fianna Fáil Elected Reps. In 2020 – We Ask Questions.

Thurles Fianna Fáil councillor Mr Sean Ryan, (Thurles, Municipal District Council) together with Fianna Fáil T.D. Mr Jackie Cahill, both regrettably failed to raise objections in relation to the destruction of the 176 year old piece of Great Famine heritage, now destroyed in its entirety, at Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Despite both being advised as to its historical importance, both elected public representatives through their deliberate silence, joined their fellow colleagues, (Fianna Fáil Cllr. Mr Seamus Hanafin, and Independent Councillor Mr Jim Ryan), to ensure the total eradication of this Mass path; Right-Of Way; and Great Famine artifact.

However, in the past, Councillor Mr Sean Ryan and Mr Jackie Cahill T.D., it would appear, have perhaps colluded to object to one other planning application in the past, which had been initially submitted by Starrus Eco Holdings.
[Note: latter company set up on Wednesday May, 15th 2013, with registered offices at Panda Waste Management’s Solution, Ballymount Road Upper, Dublin].

We do not wish to comment on the merits or otherwise of Starrus Eco Holdings actual planning application.

However, we are mystified by the objection submissions made by both Cllr Mr Sean Ryan [sent on June 30th, 2020] and Deputy Jackie Cahill T.D. [sent three days later on July 3rd, 2020].

All Planning Application details ref: 20550 Tipperary County Council, can be viewed HERE.

See both planning objections which were submitted, hereunder.

**Above** **objection lodged by Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan**.

**Above objection lodged by Mr Jackie Cahill T.D.**, **three days later.**

We sent a query to Cllr. Sean Ryan initially on Saturday, October 2nd 2021, @ 3:22pm, regarding this matter. As expected, Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan chose to once again, remain silent.

Before reading further, note first, the 2020 Irish general election took place on Saturday, February 8th, to elect the 33rd Dáil Éireann T.D. membership. This election was called following the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil by the Irish President, Mr M.D. Higgins, at the request of the then Taoiseach, Mr Leo Varadkar, on January 14th 2020.

Both planning objections were lodged with Tipperary Co. Council after the General election of Saturday, February 8th.

With this knowledge shown above, in the interests of openness and transparency, a series of questions must now be publicly asked and more importantly answered, in writing.

(1) Why are T.D’s and Councillors, on high salaries exempt from paying planning fees, when persons earning minimum wages and those unemployed, must pay fees to their Local Authority, in the event of a planning appeal?

(2) When and where did Mr Jackie Cahill T.D. reside in Littleton, in July 2020?

(3) Why does Mr Jackie Cahill, T.D. call himself a “Councillor”, when in fact he was a “T.D.” on July 2nd 2020?

(4) Has Mr Jackie Cahill T.D completed the annual register of interests, which must be completed by all Oireachtas members, [Latter was introduced under the 1995 Ethics in Public Office Act, and include directorships in private sector companies; rental income from property and farming ], in relation to property owned or rented by him in Littleton, Thurles, Co. Tipperary?

(5) Ten other persons objected to this planning submission, but only two public elected representatives, (both Fianna Fáil), namely Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan and T.D Mr Jackie Cahill, raised objections.,
Did Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan collude by giving / sending a copy of his objection to be copied / scanned by T.D Mr Jackie Cahill, same which was then forwarded (pasted & copied) to the County Tipperary planning office, without the necessary due care and attention to detail, by his staff?

(6) With this information contained in T.D. Mr Jackie Cahill’s planning objection incorrect, and sent by Mr Jackie Cahill T.D’s. office, why was same accepted, stamped and acknowledged by Tipperary Co. Council’s planning officials, knowing it to be incorrect?

(7) Was any other Waste Recycling plant within the Tipperary region, with known connections to the Fianna Fáil party, involved in this collusion / objection to this requested planning permission?

Perhaps one or both named elected representatives might like to answer our queries raised herewith, so that same can be published for the benefit of the local electorate.

New Bill Will Implement Biggest Reform To Judicial Appointments In Decades.

Minister Mrs Helen McEntee publishes Bill to implement biggest reform to judicial appointments in decades.

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022 provides clear process for appointing judges.
New measures mean all candidates, including serving judges, will undergo new application and interview procedures.
Candidates will be required to undergo judicial training or continuous professional development.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee, T.D., has today announced that the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022, was approved by Government earlier this week and will be published shortly.
This represents an important step forward in the reform of the judicial appointments process as committed to by the Minister, most recently in Justice Plan 2022.

This Bill, when enacted, will lead to the biggest reform in the way judges are chosen for appointment in a quarter of a century.

A number of key changes have been made to the Bill from the General Scheme as published by Minister McEntee in December 2020.

The changes include:

* Number of recommendations – 3 persons to be recommended instead of 5 recommendations as provided for in the General Scheme and an additional 2 recommendations for a second and additional vacancies. For example, this would mean seven recommendations for three vacancies

* Only persons recommended by the Judicial Appointments Commission to be recommend by the Government for appointment by the President

* Interviews – Any person – new applicants and serving judges seeking promotion to higher courts – who is to be recommended to the Minister for Justice for appointment should have been interviewed by the Judicial Appointments Commission

* Diversity – The Commission will be required to publish a diversity statement committing to the objective that membership of the judiciary should reflect the diversity of the population as a whole.

* Continuous Professional Development – Candidates will be required to show they have undertaken judicial training or continuous professional development

Minister McEntee said:
“In the hundred years since the foundation of the state, our judges and our judiciary have served us extremely well. In proposing this legislation, I hope that it will enable the continued appointment of excellence judges which are a cornerstone of a strong, independent judiciary.
It is vital that we have a very clear process for judicial appointments, one that people understand and have full confidence in.

The Bill I am publishing today allows for the establishment of a Judicial Appointments Commission of nine members, chaired by the Chief Justice, to replace the current Judicial Appointments Advisory Board.
All 4 lay members of the Commission will be selected and recommended by the Public Appointments Service.
The current JAAB process only concerns first-time judicial appointments, with no statutory advisory role in place relating to appointments from the ranks of serving judges.

This Bill will ensure that anyone who wishes to be considered for appointment to judicial office, including serving judges, will apply to the Commission and undergo the same application and interview processes.
Membership of the judiciary should also reflect the diversity of the population as a whole and a new diversity statement will commit the Judicial Appointments Commission to that objective.

I look forward to working with all members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to bring this legislation to enactment as soon as possible.”

The approval of this Bill follows a substantial process of consultations, in particular with the Attorney General, the European Commission and the Chief Justice.

Commenting on the changes made in the Bill to the General Scheme, Minister McEntee stated:
“In a change from the previously published General Scheme, three persons are to be recommended instead of five, with an additional two recommendations for a second and additional vacancies. This will ensure that we are meeting all of our necessary obligations under EU law.
I am strongly of the view that a candidate should be recommended only after being interviewed, so I have made this a requirement in the Bill.
Additionally, I have included a requirement that judicial appointments will reflect the need for candidates to undergo judicial training or continuous professional development.
I am committed to improving training and continuous professional development right across the justice sector. This is crucial to providing a better service to people who need to engage with our justice system and those who work within it – from our Gardaí to our judges – and I am pleased the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill reflects this priority.”

The Judicial Appointments Commission will set out best practice selection procedures including interviews and the knowledge, skills and attributes required of judges.

New 20 Cent Levy On Disposable Cups, If EU Agreeable.

A 20 cent levy on disposable coffee cups is expected to come in to effect later this year according to Junior Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communication, Mr Ossian Smyth.

Mr Smyth confirmed this morning that the Circular Economy Bill 2021, will lay out the necessary legislative basis for the levy, aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating an estimated 200 million cups that are thrown into landfill each year.

Mr Smyth has stated that the aim is not to raise money from the levy, but to change the habits of consumers. The Bill hopefully, which has already been approved by Cabinet, will now make Ireland the first country in the world to eliminate the use of disposable coffee cups.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland has said it has some concerns about the proposal and is anxious to know more.

Continuing on the topic of littering;
Mr Smyth has confirmed that local authorities will soon be empowered to use CCTV footage to bring prosecutions in relation to those persons found fly tipping.
Local authorities have in the past attempted to collect the evidence required to convict people and have found that they run up against current privacy and data protection issues.

Such required regulations are regarded as being long overdue.

It Happened On This Day: 173 years ago.

“How can men feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings?” – Mahatma Gandhi.

A ‘Great Famine Walk’ between Louisburgh and Doolough, Co. Sligo, takes place every year to commemorate what history records as the “Doolough Tragedy”.

Today, here in Thurles, as the last piece of our Great Famine heritage (1845-49) is finally eradicated from the face of this earth, supported by Mr Seamus Hanafin, (Fianna Fáil Councillor) and others, we remember that 173 years ago, on this same day, (Friday March 30th, 1849), two officials of the Westport Poor Law Union arrived in Louisburgh, southwest Co. Mayo.

**“Doolough Tragedy”** – **In ár gcroíthe go deo**.

Their purpose for coming, was to inspect people who were in receipt of outdoor food relief and to verify that same should continue to receive it.

This inspection, did not take place as scheduled and the two officials moved on to Delphi Lodge, considered more suitable to accommodate, worthy inspecting officials.

The lodge today is situated some 12 miles (19 kilometres), south of Louisburgh, on the southwest corner of Clew Bay in County Mayo. It was here they chose, to spend a night or two.

Delphi Lodge was first built in the 1830’s by the Marquis of Sligo as a hunting/fishing lodge. The family seat was Westport House, near Westport, County Mayo. [Family titles included – Baron Mount Eagle, of Westport in the County of Mayo (created 10 September 1760), Viscount Westport (in 1768) and Earl of Altamont (in 1771)].

It is stated that the building was named ‘Delphi’ based on the area’s similarity to the home of the “Oracle” in Greece, latter an important shrine, built around a sacred spring, and regarded as the ‘omphalos’ (meaning the centre or navel) of the world.

Over the next 120 years, it was used throughout by the family or on occasion leased out to British army officers and members of the protestant clergy.

In 1903 Delphi Lodge was visited by King Edward VII, and in 1995 by a recent visitor to Tipperary, last week, Prince Charles.
This house eventually fell slowly into semi-dereliction until rescued in 1985, by Mr Peter Mantle, together with investors, who restored the Lodge, its Cottages and Fishery.

Meanwhile, 173 years ago, the several hundred people who had gathered for this now delayed inspection, were consequently instructed to appear at Delphi Lodge, at 7:00am the following morning. The lodge was then owned by Mr George John Browne [1820–1896] 3rd Marquess of Sligo. The ultimatum in the inspectors instruction stated that if they wished to continue receiving their relief, they should be present to be examined.

For much of the night and day that followed, hundreds of Irish people, same destitute, starving and in a weakened and infirm state, had to undertake what for them was an extremely fatiguing 12 mile journey, in extremely cold, wet and windy weather.

In a letter written to the “Mayo Constitution” newspaper, [Published January 3rd, 1828 – May 11, 1872], a short time later; we learn that the bodies of seven persons, including women and children, were subsequently discovered on the roadside, between Delphi Lodge and Louisburgh, which overlooks the shores of Doolough lake, and that nine or ten more people never reached their homes.

Other sources claim that the total number of dead numbered 20 people, while local people claim that the number who died along the way exceeded all previous reports.

Co. Sligo has chosen to hold on to its strong history; on the other hand, Thurles Councillor Mr Seamus Hanafin and Tipperary County Council Officials have decided to destroy Tipperary history, without the consent of Thurles residents.