This upcoming general election has alerted voters in Thurles of two candidates, both of whom have little or no regard/respect for biodiversity and to a greener future.
Both have used heavy duty self-drilling Tech screws, latter originally designed for drilling into sheet steel. Same were used to attach plastic posters to mature trees that were planted by members of Thurles Tidy Towns, way back in the 1990’s.
One standard size poster was held up using at least 10 Tech screws and which bears the name Mr Ryan O’Meara(Fianna Fáil), who claims he has “Ambition for Thurles’s future”.
No canvassers called to my home, representing Mr O’Meara, so I am not able to relate details of his “dreams” or indeed his “revolutionary aspirations” for Thurles town. His poster can be found at the entrance to Monakeeba, housing estate. Best that Thurles voters forget about Mr O’Meara.
The other standard size poster bears the name of Mr Michael Lowry(Independent TD), who again shows no regard/respect for biodiversity and to promoting a greener future. His poster can be found close to where Thurles people will cast their votes at the Presentation Convent Primary School. His poster is held up by 6 Tech screws on a tree which was also planted by members of Thurles Tidy Towns, again way back in the 1990’s. I did ask the children, who called canvassing on Mr Lowry’s behalf, to have the screws removed, but this message seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
A domestic violence survivor, (who cannot be named publicly, due to court-ordered reporting restrictions), is suing Tipperary County Council over its housing policy. The female claims she was denied social housing after leaving her home and has now been granted leave to bring judicial review proceedings against Tipperary County Council.
The woman was forced to leave her former local authority home, before entered a domestic violence refuge. She now remains homeless, residing in emergency Bed and breakfast accommodation. Having sought social housing under her own name and having explained her situation, the council required her to surrender her joint tenancy, before it would consider her new application for housing supports.
The applicant claims to have complied with Tipperary Co. Councils instructions, but was excluded from consideration for social housing for one year, on the grounds that she had voluntarily surrendered her tenancy. The woman’s legal team argue that the surrender in this case was not voluntary and that the council’s decision now breaches administrative and human rights law, which in turn amounts to an unlawful fettering of its discretion, through the application of an inflexible policy to all victims of domestic violence.
The legal team, representing the woman in the High Court on Tuesday morning last (November 26th, 2024) sought and were granted leave for a judicial review by High Court Justice Mr Garrett Simons, who stated that the applicant appeared to have been placed in a ‘Catch-22’ situation.
The previous five-seater Tipperary constituency has now been re-drawn to form a two x three-seater constituency (Tipperary North and Tipperary South). Thurles Town remains in Tipperary North, so with 3 seats now up for grabs, it does not take a genius to realise and accept that possibly at least one totally new individual will take a seat in Dáil Éireann.
This scenario follows the fact one of two previous Thurles Teachtaí Dála, namely Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Jackie Cahill, some weeks ago, announced that he would not be contesting the 2024 General Election on Friday next, November 29th, due to health concerns.
On November 17th 2024, last a headline on the Nenagh Guardian newspaper [READ FULL ARTICLE HERE], correctly pointed out that “Tipperary is lacking in political clout”.
From a sports point of view this article correctly pointed out that the previous week had seen the third sports capital funding allocation for the year, with €173 million for 35 projects being part of the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund(LSSIF). While a number of Tipperary clubs were successful in appeals over their CSFF allocations, it would appear, as our local politicians slept, that the application pertaining to refurbishment works for Semple’s field (Semple Stadium), lost out to Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, with the Kerry venue getting €6 million for work on its west terrace, to not only improve the spectator experience for matches, but also as an outdoor concert venue. This all happened despite having two resident Thurles TD’s who supported the present outgoing government.
On Friday next Thurles and District electorate, not to mention the Constituency of North Tipperary, as a whole, will get a chance to introduce this new face into Dáil Éireann.
Thurles over the past 10 years, in particular, and even longer, has been allowed to slide into slow disintegration. We have for too long listened to promises, with current politicians announcing funding for an ‘Inner Relief Road’; a‘Business Innovation Centre‘; ‘increased employment‘; a ‘Holycross Museum’; a ‘Ring Road’etc. etc., none of which have ever come to pass, as present incumbent politicians continuously tied themselves to wealthy individuals, latter who used them to seek even more government funding and changes in the law.
With Tipperary North now a three seater constituency and Thurles town on the decline; sound logic would indicate that Thurles now badly needs to elect candidate and present Co.Councillor Mr Jim Ryan, who is currently resident in Thurles town and who will represent, not just Thurles Town, but also the constituency of Tipperary North, if elected to take a seat in our 34th Dáil.
Mr Jim Ryan, to date, has given his adult life to both local and Co. Tipperary politics. He has consistently been elected as a County Councillor in local elections and as his poster states, he is proven; is certainly experienced and is reliable.
Try to forget “Political Party Allegiance” when voting on Friday next. Vote No1 Jim Ryan, before marking your No. 2 choice etc…
We must ask ourselves, as logical Thurles voters, the following question. “What have other candidates currently in the race; including some with absolutely no political experience whatsoever and now seeking our individual, valuable vote, ever achieved for Thurles Town“.
George Willoughby’s No.1 Vote will go to Councillor Jim Ryan on Friday morning next, in an effort to attempt the slow the obvious decline to a town that I love so well.
I ask all voters and lovers of Thurles, to think logically and to support Thurles and North Tipperary, by electing Jim Ryan to the 34th Dáil.
You know it makes sense, otherwise we will have nothingfor the next 5 years; yet again.
Tipperary County Council’s Chief Executive, Ms Sinead Carr, [latter who took over from Mr Joe MacGrath, following his retirement from the post at the end of May this year (2024)], has submitted her report in relation to Phase 2 of the long awaited Liberty Square upgrade.
Proposed Liberty Square West Layout (Phase 2).
We understand that all nine of our elected Municipal District Councillors have now received copies of her final deliberations and we further understand that the matter will be considered by same nine councillors at a council meeting on November 18th next (2024).
We understand that a total of 22 submissions were received during the period of public consultation which ended, on August 30th 2024. At least one submission (which is surprisingly included), was forwarded outside the period of public consultation; received on 2/9/2024.
Two submissions were received from one affected family business, sharing Parnell Street with O’Donovan Rossa Street, both bearing the same content. So if honesty was to prevail, only 20 submissions were received. Please read HERE.
Parnell Street (formerly New Street)at the junction (right) withCúchulainn Road (formerly Nicholas Street).
We understand that Tipperary County Council’s Chief Executive Ms Sinead Carr, despite the submissions forwarded by the public and received, is recommending that little or no changes should be made to the original plans initially set out.
Picture Top:Looking West, unto Slievenamon Road, Thurles. Picture Centre:Looking East, unto Emmett Street, Thurles. Picture Bottom:Looking North from rear of Bank of Ireland, facing unto Liberty Square, Thurles.
So, where are those promised extra Thurles car parking spaces that were promised behind Bank Of Ireland, latter facing unto Liberty Square in Thurles?
One is reminded of a remark once used by American showman, businessman (Barnum & Bailey Circus), Mayor (Bridgeport Connecticut), author and anti-slavery Republican politician, Mr Phineas Taylor Barnum. the remark, demonstrates the deep understanding of scepticism, human nature, and the limitations of deceit, including that expended by our local Thurles councillors and politicians. The remark attributed to Mr Barnum states, quote; “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” The adage “There’s a sucker born every minute”, is also frequently attributed to the aforementioned Mr Barnum; latter remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes.
Truth was that customers drove into the Bank of Ireland (BOI) car park, parked their vehicles, dealt with their banking business, and then walked out to Liberty Square or back unto Emmett Street, entering into the rear of the multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer Tesco, leaving their car free of street parking charges.
Now, with a new wall backing unto BOI, latter moved further northwards, and a second gap opened from what was known as the Slievenamon Road car park (or Checkpoint Charlie) we have actually, once again, lost at least 6 car parking spaces, hitherto available to the town centre. [I base this assumption, noting that the new gaps created, (one leading east unto Emmett Street and the other leading north unto the rear of Bank of Ireland), will no longer offer parking spaces.]
Quote: “Ireland’s towns and villages are an important resource to protect and nurture. We want to ensure that they remain resilient locations with vibrant inclusive communities and a strong cultural and social fabric that deliver a good quality of life for future generations. We (the government) will support them through a strong commitment to ‘place-making’ so that any town centre environment is one in which people want to live, do business, visit and is ultimately successful”.
Why does ‘The Source’ Car Park remain closed.
A 2024 General Election date is to be announced on Thursday November 7th next. The previous disastrous decisions forced on our town centre businesses, (first begun on August 17th, 2020), now leaves our medieval streetscapes fully choked with HGV’s and other traffic; and will not easily be corrected even when, (if ever), a bypass is eventually constructed.
To those canvassing for votes on our doorsteps, the question which should be on the lips of every Thurles resident and remaining, business owner in our town is; “When will ‘The Source’ car park be open again, in an effort to support town centre businesses?
With just 7 weeks until Christmas, why was this presently closed parking benefit, situated under ‘The Source’ library building, not taken in hand, as a greater parking priority, rather than the opening of a new gap in a partially land locked car park, latter which will now lead to even greater frustration, with motorists forced to emerge onto Barry’s Bridge, from this new Emmett Street gap, to take their chances manoeuvering around a totally ‘castle blind’ corner, unto Cathedral Street.
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