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 Lisheen Mine, Moyne, Co. Tipperary. Thurles and Co. Tipperary TD Michael Lowry, yesterday demanded that the ‘prevailing veil of secrecy’, on issues regarding the imminent closure of Lisheen Mine, must now be discussed openly.
In a statement, published on his website yesterday, the Tipperary Deputy stated; “Following repeated requests for openness on the future plans for Lisheen Mine, the official response has been one of continuous drawn out silence.
In 2012, I sent a written letter to Taoiseach Enda Kenny requesting state intervention and to this end a Task Force was set up to assist in identifying alternative sources of employment. To date this Task Force has remained silent in relation to details of any future developments which may be pending. In November 2014, I again raised this issue in the Dáil, stressing the extreme gravity of this situation and the need for immediate and pressing action.”
Lowry goes on to state that Lisheen Mine, first established in 1997, has been one of the most important sources of employment here in Co. Tipperary in most recent years. However despite repeated appeals for immediate action, the continued secrecy surrounding action on Lisheen Mine, will soon contribute to the ‘long term detrimental effect’, of our Tipperary’s economy.”
Prophesying an uncertain future ahead for Thurles and Co. Tipperary, based on a this ‘prevailing veil of secrecy’, Michael Lowry, states “The negative effects, which will be felt by both Tipperary and indeed the greater national economy can be forecast as follows,” :-
(1) Unemployment for a workforce of 380 people; amounting to some €28 million in wages and salaries lost annually, much of which is spent in the local economy.
(2) The immediate loss, by supportive local service industries, particularly in the areas of transport, fuel, tyres, general hardware, etc.; with an estimated loss expected to be in the order of some €14 million.
(3) Lisheen Mine has also been a major source of support and funding to local clubs, amenities and charities.
(4) A large well-appointed and resourced site, for the foreseeable future, will be left to lie, for the most part, redundant.
Michael Lowry is confident that this mine complex today has huge potential for immediate future investment; highlighting its immediate advantages which include:-
(A) Extensive modern offices and outbuildings, on site ready for immediate occupation.
(B) Major access via Rail and Motorway nearby, to a 1200 acre site.
(C) One of the biggest existing 38 kV electricity supply sources in the country.
(D) A massive underground aquifer capable of supplying millions of gallons of water daily.
(E) Most importantly an adaptable, highly committed workforce with an impeccable industrial relations record.
“With the rural economy continuing to decline, I now call upon the Task Force to report direct to Tipperary County Council membership and all elected membership for the county, so that established facts can be assembled and debated. I have formally requested the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr Richard Bruton, to acknowledge the full consequences of this imminent closure and to ensure that State Agencies come forward to play a real meaningful role in directing alternative industry to the site.” stated Michael Lowry.
Michael Lowry’s statement highlighting Lisheen Mine can be read in full by clicking HERE.
 Speaking on local radio stations across Co. Tipperary yesterday, Independent TD Deputy Michael Lowry accused financial institutions of being greedy, aggressive and often arrogant in their treatment of ordinary house-holders and their families.
Following a review undertaken by the Deputy; he is now aware that appearing before the Court in Nenagh in recent weeks, financial institutions sought some 86 applications for home repossessions, with similar figures being repeated in the town of Clonmel.
Deputy Lowry stated, “The majority of these applications are causing intense anxiety, distress and disruption to Tipperary individuals and their families, who remain, firmly, the victims of a banking industry which has been permitted to run out of control.”
Deputy Lowry continued, “At present, borrowers are being held to account for the behaviour of these financial institutions who are permitted to sail completely free of having to take any share of the responsibility for the chaos and heart-break. This present crisis has been caused primarily by these same financial institutions, which had to hand all the advantages of ‘top-notch’ advice and have spent the last year before the Banking Inquiry, unable to recall their past actions and refusing profusely to take any responsibility for their totally dissolute actions.”
“I firmly believe that borrowers, particularly distressed home-owners, should get some respite. Why should thousands of individuals and whole families be put on local authority housing lists, simply because bankers became fixated; wildly encouraging people to borrow 100% loans, most often knowingly aware of peoples inability to repay?”
“I now demand a new deal for distressed home-owners, under which our Banks and Vulture Funds, which purchased many of their Loan Books, would immediately be forced to enter into the following arrangements with borrowers. In other words, where a borrower is committed to an agreed affordable repayment situation (initially for a trial period of say 2 years), same should be permitted to keep their homes, on the condition that they abide by same pre-agreed affordable repayment. Legislation to compel these arrangements should be a priority for any incoming Government,” concluded the Independent Tipperary Deputy.
Tipperary County Council have prepared a Draft Polling Scheme for County Tipperary in accordance with the the Electoral Act 1992 and the Electoral (Polling Schemes) Regulations, 2005. Copies of this Draft Polling Scheme are now available for inspection HERE or during normal office opening hours at the following venues:-
 All public Libraries in County Tipperary.
Templemore-Thurles Municipal District Office, Slievenamon Road, Thurles. Co. Tipperary.
Civic Offices, Emmet Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Civic Offices, Limerick Road, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.
Cashel-Tipperary Municipal District Office, Rosanna Road, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary.
Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District Office, Town Hall, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary.
NOTE: Representations in relation to this Draft Polling Scheme, received on or before Monday 30th November, 2015, will be considered by the Council. All representations, forwarded in writing, should be addressed to Corporate Services, Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary or emailed to customerservices@tipperarycoco.ie.
 Local ‘Tarmac Specialist’ Mick Ryan had called into his local barber’s shop on Liberty Square, Thurles for one of his two only annual haircuts.
“Jasus by the look of things you soon won’t be calling in here at all”, said barber Johnny Curran, as he surveyed Mick’s rapidly balding head.
“Sure financially won’t that be more of a tragedy for you than me,” said Mick, grinning into the mirror, as barber Johnny flung his cloth ‘hair apron’ expertly around his newest customer.
“Seriously, talking about tragedy”, said Johnny, “I heard the local Labour Party TD was up visiting the primary school’s sixth class the other day”.
“Probably checking their water metre”, said Mick, again grinning at his reflected unruly appearance.
“A begorra no, Mick, at least I don’t think so”, but it seems he walked into the classroom in the middle of a discussion relating to words and their supposed meanings”, said Johnny. “It seems that this particular teacher is one of those rare Labour Party supporter not yet forced out of Ireland and being overawed by his presence; she asked him if he would like to lead on her ‘teacher nattering’; to which the politician, feeling qualified, readily agreed”, Johnny the barber continued.
“This same illustrious politician then asked the teacher’s class for an example of the word ‘tragedy’ to be contained in a sentence”, continued Johnny. One little boy (supposedly Paddy Hayes son), stood up and offered: ‘If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him; that would be a ‘tragedy’, Sir”.
“No”, said the Labour politician, “That would be an accident.”
A little girl now raised her hand slowly exclaiming: “If a school, bus carrying fifty children, drove over the cliff of Moher, killing everyone inside, that would be a ‘tragedy’, Sir”, she squealed out excitedly.
“I’m afraid not”, said the Labour politician, “That’s what we would call a great loss”.
The room fell silent, according to Johnny, with now no other children volunteering any answers. The now puffed up Labour politician visually searched the room; “Isn’t there someone here who can surely give me an example of a sentence containing the word ‘tragedy’?” he pleaded
Finally, from the back of the room, Snotser Bourke raised his hand and in a loud voice proclaimed: “If a plane carrying you and Joan Burton was struck by a ‘friendly fire missile’, while travelling over Soviet Russia and God forbid ye were blown into tiny smithereens, surely that would be a ‘tragedy’.”
“Fantastic, you’re a bright lad”, exclaimed the Labour politician. “That’s totally right and now can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?”
“Well Sir,” says Snotser “It has to be a tragedy, because according to what my father believes, it certainly wouldn’t be a great loss and it probably wouldn’t be a fecking accident either.”
“True for the Bible”, said Mick, “Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings for sure. I suppose you won’t be charging me as much for this haircut, since you agree there is less to cut, what with current austerity and everything.”
The new Thurles Town Park, which opened its gates to the Thurles public for the first time yesterday morning, has been greeted by all and sundry with massive positive vibrations. Our congratulations to Tipperary Co. Council employees, SIAC Construction, all local businesses and residents, who entered into the public consultation process leading up to the parks near completion.
This latest new town-centre venue boasts an all weather seven a side soccer pitch / basket ball court area, a skateboard park, 49 new vehicle parking spaces, two bus parking bays, traffic free walk ways and 10 outdoor gym equipment areas.
By ‘near completion’, I mean there remains still (understandably), some small jobs yet to be undertaken e.g. full completion of landscaping and the re-roofing of the now carefully preserved once old farmyard building; its architecture indicating it was possibly built slightly before or during the Great Famine period (1843 -1848).
During my tour of the new park this afternoon I was fortunate to run into Independent TD Mr Michael Lowry and Templemore /Thurles Municipal Engineer Mr Michael Tierney, latter both surveying the overall project. Despite understandably constant interruptions from delighted mothers; all anxious to congratulate both men on their individual contributions in providing this welcome facility, I gleaned a wealth of information, which I now impart to Thurles.Info readers, who in recent days have expressed certain reservations regarding the future of this ‘state of the art’ project.
Reservations expressed on social media by local residents
Graffiti: Engineer Mr Michael Tierney confirmed that all areas are now fully painted with an anti-graffiti surface coating.
Lighting: Mr Tierney also confirmed that this new amenity area will remain fully lit, at low cost, during the hours of darkness.
Use of CCTV: Presently 8 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras survey the area on a 24 hour basis. Deputy Lowry is confident that this area can now be monitored on screen, direct to the Thurles Garda Station communications room.
Anti Social Behaviour: Deputy Lowry stated that unacceptable anti social behaviour, for the most part, was not any major problem in Thurles, when compared to large towns in Ireland of similar size. However he was confident and would be recommending that following the next full meeting of the Templemore /Thurles Municipal Council, new bye laws would be introduced to combat any such occasional breaches of acceptable conduct in this area.
Access To WI-FI: Mr Lowry and Mr Michael Tierney both confirmed that free public WI-FI would be made available within this area within the coming months, as soon as a suitable safe and secure accommodation was identified for necessary equipment installation.
Deputy Lowry stated that it was now essential that a tendering process should be hastened, with regards to the re-roofing and restoration of the picturesque salvaged farmyard building, which would further lead to the enhancement of this massive new Thurles amenity.
Deputy Lowry also stated that a huge debt of gratitude was now owing to the local business community, whose rates had financially funded this major new Thurles amenity.
A number of excellent suggestions; latter voiced by visiting mothers to Mr Lowry, have now been passed on to Mr Tierney, all of which will be shortly reviewed, bearing in mind issues of health and safety.
To all involved in any way in this venture – “Congratulations and Well Done”.
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