Politics « Thurles Information

Helpful Resources For Return to Remote Learning.

RTÉ’s Home School Hub: A Resource that requires no Broadband.

One of the biggest challenges to remote schooling, faced by teachers and pupils alike, is poor access to broadband or lack of affordability.

Schools have received funding for IT equipment and digital platforms, but without adequate broadband, pupils and teachers can do nothing online and very little with their digital devices.

Minister for Education (Irish: An tAire Oideachais) Ms Norma Foley has repeatedly praised her department’s guidance and funding for IT and remote learning, but many teachers would argue that she is ignoring the blatantly obvious, namely, that remote teaching amounts to little, if you cannot access fast and reliable broadband.

Remote teaching has indeed highlighted how much remains to be done to improve broadband infrastructure in this country. It is, to say the least, regrettable that since lockdown and school closure became the new norm, that little has been done to improve the provision of broadband and internet access for our children, young people and their teachers.

If you are a family or teacher with limited access to the internet, then RTÉ’s Home School Hub is the resource you need. Home School Hub aims to help keep everyone busy and engaged with learning over this current lockdown.

It will air every weekday, for two hours from 10:00am on RTÉ2, starting tomorrow morning, Monday January 11th.

For those with adequate broadband; to help teachers, parents and pupils plan ahead, visit HERE to view resources and outline topics being covered this week.

Please note also that the Irish Sign Language Version airs at 1:00pm with a daily show on RTÉjr. Also, in the afternoon there will be more from After School Hub on RTÉ2 from 3.20pm.

Keep an eye on RTÉ.ie/learn, for more over the coming weeks.

Helpful Resources For A Return To Remote Learning.

Free Access to Textbooks Online

As part of efforts to suppress this wave of Covid-19, the government has confirmed that all schools are returning to remote learning from Monday 11th January for a period of least three weeks.

Unfortunately, because this closure was not fully anticipated, many pupils are at home without their textbooks. Thankfully, many Irish education publishers are giving free online access to primary school and secondary school textbooks.

For more information, simply follow the links below:

For books by CJ Fallon click HERE.
For books by EDCO click HERE.
For books by Folens click HERE.
For Primary Books by Gill Education click HERE.
For Secondary Books by Gill Education click HERE.

TD Martin Brown Defends Tweets Posted By Brian Stanley

An Tanaiste Mr Leo Varadkar has demanded a statement from Sinn Féin party leader Ms Mary Lou McDonald, after one of her colleagues, Tipperary TD Mr Martin Browne, defended inappropriate and insensitive tweets posted by Laois–Offaly TD Mr Brian Stanley.

**Tipperary TD Mr Martin Browne**. *Photo: Oireachtas.ie*

Mr Stanley had tweeted on the centenary of the Kilmichael ambush, [latter which took place on November 28th 1920] that the Narrow Water Castle killings on August 27th 1979, by the IRA’s South Armagh Brigade, outside Warrenpoint in Co. Down, were two attacks where IRA operations taught the elite of the British army and the establishment, the cost of occupying Ireland. Mr Stanley (Current Chairperson of the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee) added: “Pity for everyone they were such slow learners”.

Mr Stanley later said that he had deleted what he admitted was an “inappropriate and insensitive” tweet.

However Tipperary’s Mr Martin Browne defended Mr Stanley’s tweet, insisting that his party should not have to apologise for statements that reflect the ‘core beliefs’ of Sinn Féin members.

The Tipperary TD went on to state that apologies for core beliefs in his personal view, should stop. ‘It is my core belief that we have been occupied for 800 years in this country and at all stages down through our history there has been conflict.’

Mr Varadkar stated, “I don’t doubt he (Mr Martin Browne) believes this. But every time a Sinn Féin TD glorifies violence, it makes a united Ireland harder to achieve. Killing kids, bombing pubs & shops was never justified. Not in our name. We need a statement from Mary Lou McDonald on whether she agrees. We fought too hard to secure peace on our island to risk falling backwards. We must stand up to those who would glorify violence again”.

Mr Browne, [who during the visit of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II to Co. Tipperary in 2011, led a very small Sinn Fein nuisance protest in Cashel, objecting to her visit], admitted he had also called to the homes of Sinn Féin party supporters, whom he felt had published negative comments about the internal workings of the Sinn Féin party, online.

The Tipperary TD Mr Browne, who is Chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Public Petitions, and which met for the first time yesterday to discuss its work programme, was asked by Fine Gael members Mr Brendan Griffin TD and Mr Eoghan Murphy TD to clarify his recent comments made earlier on radio to which Mr Browne refused. The meeting was later posponed.

Alan Kelly Apologises For Lack Of Face Covering On Public Transport

**Left-Right**: Mr Alan Kelly & former FAI CEO Mr John Delaney.

North Tipperary TD and Labour Party leader Mr Alan Kelly has apologised after he was photographed not wearing any face covering on public transport.

Mr Kelly, who last month, criticised the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre for issuing what he believed was confusing and incoherent advice, which he claimed lead people to believe that visors were as effective as cloth face coverings, has since apologised to his electorate.

In a statement, Mr Kelly claimed that “While getting the Luas home last night, I obviously inadvertently didn’t have my mask on for a period and I want to apologise for this mistake. I was distracted while watching the Manchester United match on my phone and adjusting my headphones at the same time. We all make mistakes. Sorry,” he stated. [Hope he wasn’t using his work phone, paid for by taxpayers]

Still it gives us all great confidence here in Co. Tipperary, to learn that Mr Kelly is a strong supporter of public health guidelines, despite the fact that he doesn’t practise what he preaches.

Further Correspondence In Relation To Thurles Famine ‘Double Ditch’

In the interests of openness and transparency we would like to publish three communication received, two by email, together with my two replies; and one in a comment sent in relation to the ‘Great Famine Double Ditch’ enquiry.

Let me first deal with the comment received from Fianna Fáil TD Mr Jackie Cahill.

Mr Cahill’s comment to this website today posted exactly as shown here, (Including the spelling mistakes): –

Author: Jc
Email: Jackie.cahill@oir.ie
Comment:
“Iv done more in 5 years than you have in youre life GEORGIE WILLOBY. Stop emailing.“

Mr Cahill you are correct, unlike you, I have never taken €1,800 per week in salary, plus expenses, from the public purse while masquerading as an elected politician.

I have honoured Mr Cahill TD’s wishes, in the full knowledge that same Mr Cahill never answers any correspondence sent to his email account. However, perhaps Mr Cahill could name just one project that he has been successful in bringing to fruition in the last 5 years, while earning his €1,800 per week.

P.S. JC – Get that €2.5 million tourism achievement piece of text changed on your Facebook to at least the correct figure of €25,000, despite the fact that you were not involved in the slightest in same acquisition.

The first of two email communications came from Mr David Coleman (Ethics Registrar, Tipperary County Council.)

Same reads: –

Dear Mr. Willoughby,

Your email of 27^th September below refers.

Your query concerning the response you received in relation to the “Thurles Double Ditch” has been referred to the Thurles District Administrator for follow up with the relevant Directorate as is your request for a copy of the 3 documents referenced.

I wish to confirm that I am the Ethics Registrar for Tipperary County Council with effect from 1^st June 2020 and as previously advised, legislation requires that this position is not held by the same person for a period longer than 2 years, hence the reason that you would have been initially informed that Mr Ger Walsh was previously the Ethics Registrar. Unfortunately, our website had not been updated at the time but I can advise that this has now been rectified.

As I have previously stated, each of the seven elected members of the Thurles Municipal District were reminded of their requirement to have regard to and be guided by the Code of Conduct.

Regarding the Council officials you asked questions of, the reply which you received from the Acting District Manager included relevant input from these officials and going forward, similar queries concerning the Thurles Municipal District area should be sent in the first instance to the Thurles District Administrator for coordination and direct reply to yourself.
Yours Sincerely
David Coleman (Ethics Registrar)

My email reply to Mr Coleman read: –

For the attention of Mr David Coleman.

Sir,
Thank you for your communication of the 8th instant.

Following your instruction to Ms Janice Gardiner, the material requested 3 weeks ago, (September 17th), was forwarded to me yesterday, October 9th.

From reading the content received it is obvious why the material was slow to materialise.

As you are aware, as yet no satisfactory reply to my question has come from Ms Gardiner.

Note the question was: – “Will the planned Thurles inner relief road impinge, in a negative way, on the 1846 Thurles “Double Ditch”, which has been a right of way and a Mass Path for almost 175 years and which is the property of the people of Thurles and a National Monument?”

However, following my own intensive investigations I am now fully aware of the answer to that latter question. A reply from Ms Gardiner and all other elected local councillors and Co. Council officials are no longer required.

However, I thank you for your swift intervention in this matter as Ethics Registrar for Tipperary County Council.

Yours sincerely,
George Willoughby

The second email communication arrived on Friday last, October 9th, 2020, from Ms Janice Gardiner (Acting District Administrator, Thurles Municipal District, Tipperary County Council, Castle Avenue, Thurles, Co. Tipperary).

This communication read: –

Dear Sir,
Please see attached documents as requested.

Regards,
Janice Gardiner

For Your Information: – Documents requested were: –

An Bord Pleanala Report PL79.JP0024
2013 EIA Screening Report
2013 Archaeological Impact Statement.

My email reply to Ms Gardiner read: –

Attention of Ms Janice Gardiner.

Madam,

I acknowledge and thank you for your communication of the 9th instant and the attachments, first requested on September 17th 2020 last.

Yours sincerely.
George Willoughby

In the next day or two, the results of my investigations will be published here in full detail.