Politics « Thurles Information

Concern Raised Over Sinn Féin Platforming of Convicted Terrorist’s Son.

**Poster published, by Mary Lou McDonald, *(Sinn Féin)*.**

Serious concern has been expressed following the appearance of Arab Barghouti, son of convicted Palestinian militant leader Marwan Barghouti, at the most recent Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Belfast.

According to reports from the event, Arab Barghouti addressed delegates and supporters to sustained applause during proceedings focused on international solidarity and Middle East issues. Critics have described the reception as deeply inappropriate given the violent history associated with his father.

Marwan Barghouti is currently serving multiple life sentences in Israel after being convicted in 2004 for involvement in attacks that killed five civilians during the Second Intifada. Israeli courts found him guilty on several counts of murder and membership in a terrorist organisation. While some political activists, sadly, continue to portray him as a symbol of Palestinian resistance; while many victims’ families and international observers regard him accurately as directly responsible for acts of terrorism that caused immense civilian suffering.

Opponents of Sinn Féin’s decision to provide a platform for Arab Barghouti argue that inviting representatives connected to individuals convicted of orchestrating deadly attacks risks undermining efforts to promote peace, reconciliation and respect for innocent victims of violence.

“This was not simply a controversial political appearance,” one critic stated. “It amounted to the normalisation and sanitisation of terrorism in front of a large public audience. The victims of these attacks, and their families, deserve better than to see applause for those associated with such unbelievable brutality.”

The controversy has also reignited debate around the responsibilities of political parties when selecting international speakers for major public conferences. Commentators have argued that democratic institutions should remain vigilant against attempts to romanticise or rewrite the legacy of political violence, regardless of where it occurred.

A similar sentiments were widely expressed on Tuesday April 28th last, when Arab Barghouti addressed a public meeting in at a pub in Cross Guns, Dublin 9. The event, promoted online by pro-Palestinian activists and Sinn Féin supporters, focused on solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and support for Marwan Barghouti, the jailed Palestinian political figure and former Fatah leader. Again attendees heard speeches concerning the situation in Gaza, Palestinian prisoners, and international solidarity campaigns. Promotional material referred to Marwan Barghouti as a “jailed Palestinian leader,” while critics again noted that he was convicted by an Israeli court for involvement in attacks that killed civilians during the Second Intifada.

Others have defended the invitation on the grounds of international solidarity with the Palestinian cause, noting that Marwan Barghouti remains a widely recognised political figure among many Palestinians and international campaigners.

Nevertheless, critics maintain that no political grievance can justify the targeting and killing of civilians, and that public representatives should be careful not to blur the distinction between political advocacy and the glorification of violence and hatred.

Political Spin, Lies, Broken Promises & A Destroyed Heritage Trail.

The Real Truth About Thurles Inner Relief Road.

“Though the mills of God grind slowly,
Yet they grind exceeding small,
Though with patience He stands waiting,
With exactness grinds He all.”

[Extract from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “Retribution”; the lines meaning that God’s judgment or moral justice does not happen quickly. Wrongdoers may seem to escape consequences for a long time. But when justice finally comes, it is thorough and precise. ]

Nothing escapes accountability.
For over a decade the people of Thurles have been subjected to political spin and conflicting claims regarding the so-called Thurles Inner Relief Road. What was once presented as an urgent infrastructure priority now appears increasingly unlikely to begin construction before 2028, despite repeated assurances from politicians that funding had already been secured years ago.

The public is entitled to ask one simple question: who exactly has been telling the truth?
Back in October 2021, former Fianna Fáil TD Mr Jackie Cahill publicly declared that he had “secured funding” for the Thurles Inner Relief Road under the National Development Plan. He presented this as a major breakthrough and claimed the project was effectively on track. Yet here we are in 2026 with no contractor appointed, no construction underway, no visible site mobilisation, and only limited allocations for design work and appraisals.
On November 6th 2025, Fianna Fáil TD Mr Ryan O’Meara publically stated on local radio that the Thurles inner relief road, which first received planning permission from An Board Pleanála in 2014 (12 years ago), was set to go to tender by the end of 2025.

**Figure 4**, **pictured above as stated, was ‘*annotated by writer*‘, meaning that notes were added to the diagram, giving explanation or comment. Same *annotation* was not supplied by Tipperary Co. Council**.

Even more remarkably, recent political statements from other quarters have continued to portray the project as somehow newly “secured” or “advanced”, despite those earlier promises. The people of Thurles are now being asked to believe that funding was secured in 2021, land acquisition was the breakthrough in 2024, government commitments were obtained again in 2025, and yet construction still cannot realistically begin before 2028. None of this adds up.

The facts tell a very different story.
Tipperary County Council’s own 2025 Service Delivery Plan confirms that the project still remained at Department appraisal and detailed design stage, not construction stage. Earlier reports showed that only modest sums such as €75,000 and later €100,000 had been allocated for planning and design-related work. That is not what a shovel-ready infrastructure project looks like.

Meanwhile, the town itself continues to choke under worsening traffic congestion, while politicians repeatedly issue triumphant press releases claiming “progress”.

But the greatest disgrace surrounding this project is not merely the delay. It is the destruction and dismissal of Thurles heritage, [See HERE page 6], in pursuit of a road many residents believe will never adequately solve the town’s traffic crisis in the first place.

The proposed route, shown on the map above, cuts through the historic Great Famine “Double Ditch”, a rare surviving famine-era landscape feature, known locally to date from the 1846. This historic pathway, associated with famine relief works, was effectively treated as expendable. Despite its historical significance to many in Thurles, archaeological assessments failed to properly recognise or protect it. Campaigners repeatedly warned that a unique part of Thurles history was being sacrificed for a project whose actual traffic benefits remain questionable.

What makes the situation even more infuriating is that Thurles still does not have the bypass it has needed for generations. The town’s medieval street layout continues to carry modern heavy traffic because successive governments failed to prioritise a proper outer bypass solution. Instead, taxpayers are expected to fund an “Inner Relief Road” which many believe will simply shift congestion from one bottleneck to another, while permanently damaging part of the town’s heritage.

For years the public has been bombarded with photographs, announcements, consultations, launches, and declarations of “fantastic news”, yet the basic reality never changes. The project drifts endlessly between planning, appraisal, land acquisition, consultation, and redesign, while local politicians compete to claim ownership of it.

At this stage, many residents no longer trust a word of it.
If funding was truly secured years ago, where is the road? If construction was imminent, why is detailed design still ongoing? If this project is so transformational, why has the timeline repeatedly slipped further and further into the future?

The people of Thurles deserve honesty instead of political theatre. They deserve real infrastructure instead of endless press releases. Most importantly, they deserve a serious long-term bypass solution rather than another decade of delay, confusion, and public relations exercises masquerading as progress.

RTÉ Spending Public Donations While Sitting On A €725 Million State Bailout.

For many viewers, RTÉ no longer looks like an independent broadcaster but a taxpayer-supported institution protected by Government funding, despite repeated controversies.

After receiving a €725 million taxpayer-funded rescue package, RTÉ now faces growing criticism that it has become increasingly dependent on the State while asking the public to continue funding both its operations and charitable initiatives.

RTÉ is facing mounting criticism after launching a tender process that could see up to €855,000 spent on outside consultants to manage and distribute Late Late Toy Show Appeal funds, despite the broadcaster already benefiting from a massive taxpayer-funded rescue package worth €725 million over three years.

The national broadcaster is seeking a consultancy firm to oversee grant assessments, compliance, audits, reporting, PR support and fund distribution linked to the Toy Show Appeal, which has raised more than €31 million since 2020. Crucially, the tender documents confirm that the consultancy costs “will be deducted from the Fund” itself — meaning public donations intended for children’s charities will partly finance administration and consultancy fees.

The move is likely to anger many taxpayers and viewers who have already watched RTÉ receive extraordinary levels of state support following the broadcaster’s financial and governance scandals. In July 2024, the Government approved a controversial €725 million public funding package for RTÉ covering the years 2025 to 2027, effectively guaranteeing the broadcaster’s future despite collapsing public trust after the Ryan Tubridy payment controversy.

That bailout followed an earlier emergency rescue package worth €56 million approved in late 2023.

Now, critics are asking why an organisation already heavily dependent on taxpayers and public donations requires nearly another €1 million for consultants to administer a charity fund.

RTÉ insists the appeal operates efficiently, pointing to figures claiming that 96.7% of all Toy Show Appeal money raised has gone directly to frontline charities, with operating costs accounting for 3.3% of funds raised over five years. But opponents argue that almost €900,000 in administration costs remains difficult to justify given the emotional public fundraising campaigns surrounding the annual Toy Show.

The controversy comes as RTÉ also faces backlash over its politically charged decision to boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation. Ireland is among several countries refusing to participate or broadcast the event this year.

The decision is expected to drive large Irish audiences toward rival UK coverage on BBC One, over the coming nights, with BBC broadcasts now becoming the default viewing option for many Eurovision fans in Ireland.

While millions across Europe tune into Eurovision from Vienna this week, RTÉ will instead stupidly air alternative programming including reruns such as ‘Father Ted’ during the final.

For many critics, the optics are increasingly damaging; a broadcaster reliant on hundreds of millions in taxpayer support, deducting consultancy fees from children’s charity donations, while simultaneously walking away from one of Europe’s biggest television events and effectively handing audiences to the BBC.

Mid West Doctors Issue Stark Warning Over Patient Safety Crisis At UHL.

The Medical Board of HSE Mid West has issued what it describes as an “unprecedented recommendation” to Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, warning that risks to patient care at University Hospital Limerick remain “intolerable” and “unacceptable”.

The Board said the crisis at UHL is not new, but rather the result of years of underinvestment and insufficient acute hospital capacity across the Mid West region, which includes, North Tipperary, Limerick, and Clare.
UHL remains the main acute hospital serving patients from North Tipperary, particularly from towns including Nenagh, Roscrea and surrounding communities, following the reconfiguration of emergency services in the region.

In its statement, the Medical Board warned that severe overcrowding, high trolley numbers, delayed admissions and exhausted frontline staff continue to place patients at risk on a daily basis. Doctors said emergency services are operating without the capacity required to safely meet growing demand from an ageing and expanding population.

Chairman of the Medical Board, consultant surgeon Mr Colin Peirce, said frontline clinicians and patient advocates have repeatedly warned for years that the Mid West lacks the acute hospital infrastructure needed to deliver safe and timely care.
He stated that while staff continue to work under extraordinary pressure, “mitigation is not safety” and “corridor care is not acceptable healthcare”. He said patients are waiting too long for beds, treatment, privacy and dignity.

Four Immediate Demands:
The Medical Board is calling on Government to urgently implement four key measures:

Establish a fully empowered HSE Mid West Development Board to drive delivery of the proposed new hospital project.
Guarantee a full acute hospital with at least 400 beds in Phase 1 and long-term capacity for at least 1,000 beds, alongside the new maternity hospital.
Provide emergency funding in 2026 to recruit additional consultants, nurses, NCHDs, allied health professionals and support staff.
Suspend HSE staffing ceilings and recruitment restrictions across the Mid West until patient safety risks are stabilised.

Delays Continue Despite HIQA Findings.
The statement comes more than seven months after a HIQA review identified serious patient safety concerns linked to overcrowding and inadequate bed capacity at UHL. Doctors say many of those same conditions persist today.
Although Government approved plans in late 2025 to expand healthcare capacity in the Mid West, including additional services and a second acute hospital strategy, clinicians say progress remains too slow. A 44-acre site in Raheen was secured earlier this year for expansion of services linked to UHL, but the promised Development Board has yet to be formally established.

Growing Pressure Across the Mid West.
Doctors stressed that while hospitals in Nenagh, Ennis and St John’s continue to provide excellent care, they cannot compensate for the absence of sufficient acute inpatient and emergency capacity in the region.

For communities in North Tipperary, which rely heavily on UHL for emergency and specialist care, the ongoing crisis continues to raise serious concerns about access, waiting times and patient safety.
The Medical Board concluded that the Mid West can no longer continue operating in “permanent crisis mode” and warned that further delays in expanding hospital capacity risk prolonging unsafe conditions for both patients and healthcare staff.

History Rhymes: Football, Protest & Memory: The Story Of Mr Georges Loinger.

As Ireland prepares to face Israel in football in the months ahead, emotions and protests sadly are likely to surround the matches. In times like these, it is important to remember that behind modern politics are also human stories; stories of courage, survival and ordinary people who chose humanity over hatred.

One such story is that of Mr Georges Loinger, a remarkable Jewish member of the French Resistance who saved hundreds of children from the Holocaust during the Second World War. His life reminds us that compassion and bravery can exist even in humanity’s darkest moments.

Born in Strasbourg in 1910, Mr Loinger grew up in a Jewish family and became an outstanding athlete. During the Nazi occupation of France, he used not weapons, but intelligence, sport and daring imagination to rescue Jewish children from deportation and almost certain death.

One of his most extraordinary methods involved football and ball games near the Swiss border. Loinger trained frightened children to run fast and fearlessly. Then, close to the frontier, he would throw a football or ball across the border and encourage the children to chase after it. By the time guards realised what was happening, the children had already crossed into neutral Switzerland and escaped Nazi persecution.

As the war intensified and German troops tightened border security, Loinger developed other creative escape plans. Sometimes children were disguised as mourners attending funerals near cemeteries beside the Swiss frontier. Hidden routes, ladders and false papers became tools of survival. Through these dangerous missions, Loinger personally helped rescue at least 350 Jewish children.

Loinger himself had earlier escaped from a German prisoner-of-war camp. Because he had blond hair and blue eyes, Nazi guards did not realise he was Jewish. After escaping, he joined the Jewish aid organisation OSE, which worked secretly with the French Resistance to protect children whose parents had been murdered or deported to concentration camps.

Those who knew him said he carried himself with calm confidence rather than fear. He later explained that sport helped him appear natural and composed at checkpoints, something that often saved lives. His courage earned him some of France’s highest honours, including the Legion of Honour and the Resistance Medal.

When Ireland and Israel meet on the football field, demonstrations and political disagreements may dominate news headlines. Yet stories like Georges Loinger’s show another side of history; one where the game of football itself became an instrument of rescue, hope and survival for vulnerable children fleeing real genocide.

Mr Loinger died in 2018 at the age of 108, but his legacy continues to inspire people across the world. In remembering him, we remember not Irish politics, but humanity.