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 Bord Gáis is ready and willing to introduce natural gas to major North Tipperary towns, but a lack of Government commitment is hindering this initiative.
On Wednesday last Bord Gáis Chief Executive, Mr John Mullins, addressed the Oireachtas Communications Committee, of which North Tipperary Fine Gael TD Deputy Noel Coonan is a member.
Responding to Committee’s questions on Wednesday morning last, Mr John Mullins stated:
“We have identified 73 towns where we could introduce natural gas but only four were successful. At the end of the day, we do not make the decision on what towns get connected. Only four out of 73 towns in our most recent study got connected and it is fair to say Thurles was not far off the mark. I have no problem in laying pipes in North Tipperary and providing cheaper energy than current existing energy arrangements. The CER take our submissions and decide what we can and cannot do. I have no difficulty in bringing gas to towns if the body politic want that to happen. We did put our best foot forward.”
Following the meeting Thurles.Info spoke to Deputy Noel Coonan, who stated:
“I asked John Mullins whose fault is it that Thurles, Nenagh, Templemore and Roscrea are still without natural gas and the CEO went out of his way to confirm that Bord Gáis want to lay pipes in these towns but the Government and Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) have the final say in these matter. Bord Gáis has the engineers, the staff, the resources and the willpower needed to push ahead. Of course they are eager to do so as it would mean more customers for them but there is no financial commitment or Government support. Natural gas recently came to Tipperary Town and I question if this was influenced by having a Government Deputy residing in the constituency. We need to bring gas to these North Tipperary locations, to lower the cost of energy and to help support people in their existing jobs. It is clear that state funding is needed to deliver gas to these towns. Will the Government rise to the occasion and ensure there is competitive infrastructure in rural areas like these? I will continue to pressurize Minister Eamon Ryan on this matter.We do not have a natural gas pipe supply in the four main towns in North Tipperary and this is not satisfactory and is part of the reason why the north of the county is being left to decay.”
 Simon Coveney TD, Mayor Denis Ryan, Party Leader Enda Kenny, Deputy Noel Coonan and Cllr. Ger Darcy Well over 300 people attended a public meeting hosted by F.G. Deputy Noel Coonan in Damer Court Hotel on Monday evening last.
During the meeting Deputy Coonan received assurances from Party Leader Enda Kenny that Roscrea and North Tipperary will be high priority for Fine Gael in Government and the party will do its utmost to ensure that this now neglected region flourishes.
Roscrea town was chosen as the location for this inaugural meeting of Fine Gael’s National Campaign on the Party’s Jobs Plan NewERA which was launched last Thursday. Speaking in the Damer Court Hotel on Monday night, Deputy Coonan said he believed the large turnout sent a clear message to Deputy Kenny and Simon Coveney TD, Communications Spokesperson, that our concern is to make Roscrea a leading provincial town in Ireland as we continue to feel the brunt of this recession following the recent closure of Taro Pharmaceuticals.
Deputy Coonan, who hosted and chaired the event, kick-started the meeting stating:
“This is the first in a series of meetings to outline Fine Gael’s jobs policy and it will give hope to those who have lost their jobs or struggling to hold onto jobs. We intend to provide a positive outlook for the future which is especially important here in North Tipperary, a region which has been ravaged by job losses. I have made North Tipperary a high priority of mine in the Dáil and Deputy Kenny and Deputy Coveney have responded to that priority by coming here tonight to give confidence to the people.“
Continue reading North Tipperary High Priority for F.G. In Government
 In 2009, nationally, County and City Councils spent in excess of €31 million in payments to their Councillors according to today’s Irish Times Newspaper.
In the two Riding’s of County Tipperary, the overall cost was just short of €2 million, with North Tipperary splitting €890,000 between their 21 Councillors and South Tipperary splitting €1.04 million between 26 Councillors.
According to regulations, gratuity payments, which are taxable, are made to councillors if they are not re-elected. In this regard South Tipperary and North Tipperary paid out in excess of €400,000 to former councillors. Nationally Councillors who retired or who failed to be re-elected in last year’s local elections received more than €4.76 million in gratuity payments last year.
Payments received by elected County and City Councillors include a basic salary, called a Representational Payment, which is subject to PAYE in the normal way and PRSI as appropriate.
Councillors also receive an annual allowance for reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings associated with their council business and miscellaneous costs such as postage, travel expenses, and can also claim up to €600 in a mobile phone allowance annually.
The overall amount a councillor can spend on expenses was capped by Minister for Local Government John Gormley in February last when the Local Government Act 2001 Regulations 2010 were finalised. This limited councillors’ expenditure on conferences, seminars and other meetings or events.
Many County Councillors additionally receive payments as members of local Urban District Councils also.
The influential and well paid post of County or Local Councillor, peculiarly, remains the only employment currently obtainable within the Irish State where an Interview, IQ Test, C.V. or Educational Qualification is not part of any qualifying process and the only post where work performance is regarded as of little consequence.
 Deputy Noel Coonan Fine Gael Deputy Noel Coonan is to host a public meeting on his party’s Jobs Plan in the Damer Court Hotel (formerly known as Grants Hotel) next Monday 24th to address the spiralling job crisis in Roscrea and the wider Midlands area.
Guest speakers on the night include Party Leader Enda Kenny, Enterprise Spokesperson Leo Varadkar TD and Simon Coveney TD, Spokesperson on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
Speaking to Thurles.info the deputy stated:
“The No.1 priority of the next Fine Gael government will be jobs. We are all feeling the sharp brunt of this Fianna Fail led recession which is supported by my Government colleagues in North Tipperary. Only recently we witnessed the sad closure of the former Antigen factory in Roscrea which was a huge blow to the area and contributed significantly to the spiralling job crisis in Roscrea. Next Monday’s meeting will thoroughly explain Fine Gael’s jobs plan which is two fold. Leo Varadkar is proposing steps we can take immediately in the policy document ‘Hope for a Lost Generation’ which will take 70,000 people off the dole within 18 months. Simon Coveney’s document ‘New ERA’ looks at longer term proposals which will create over 105,000 jobs. This will happen through the injection of €18billion of new money into the economy. Unemployment figures will not improve under the reign of this current ineffective Government. Fine Gael is the only party that has the ideas and policies to get this country back on track”
The number of people unemployed in Roscrea soared by a third over the last year. Latest figures from the Central Statistic Office (CSO) show there were 1,333 people signing on by the end of April 2010. Eight hundred and nineteen of this group are males and 514 are females.
Unemployment figures for April, show there are 176 men under the age of 25 presently on the dole in Roscrea.
The Fine Gael TD told Thurles.Info that all persons are welcome to attend the meeting on Monday 24th May, which will be held in the Damer Court Hotel, Roscrea at 8.30pm, sharp.
 Mr Terry O'Niadh Floods of tribute came from North Tipperary County Council members recently during a meeting for County Manager, Mr. Terry O’Niadh, who retired from his post, after ten years as head of the North Tipperary Authority.
The loss of Mr. O’Niadh, through his retirement as Manager of the County, was genuinely lamented by all elected representatives and officials who turned out in large numbers to bid their farewells.
Mr. O’Niadh had a long and distinguished career in Local Government, having worked in the sector since 1968. During his career he has served in nine different Local Authorities, including seven years as Kildare Assistant County Manager and for seven years as County Secretary in Wicklow. He has also worked for a time in Dun Laoighre and Dublin Corporations as well as in Co.Offaly and Co.Meath.
Mr. O’Niadh first came to North Tipperary as County Manager in 2000.
Described by all as a man of tremendous ability and with a great attitude and belief in co-operation, North Tipperary, over the last ten years has greatly benefited from a lot of positive developments under his tenure, all of which will remain as a lasting memorial to his term in office.
In his farewell address to those assembled, Mr.O Niadh stated:
“You were always progressive and always prepared to take a chance and that ensured that things got done. I have always worked well with members, I have worked well with 95% of members, 95% of the time. I have always understood the nature of politics and whatever conflicts we may have had, were never personal. I am told we have the best Senior Management team in the country and this will be a great asset to the new County Manager. You are heading into difficult times, but if you apply the same attitude as you have over the past number of years you will continue to be the Premier County, indeed, the premier half of the Premier County”
In his parting words Mr.O Niadh paid tribute to the Council’s outdoor staff and he thanked the members of the press for their always fair and accurate reporting of Council business.
Mr. O Niadh will be replaced over the coming months by Acting County Manager, Mr. Matt Shortt and he was wished well in his new role by the outgoing Manager, and those in attendance.
We wish Mr.O’Niadh every happiness in his retirement.
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