Politics « Thurles Information

Tipperary County Council Continue To Waste Public Funding.

Chest Waders required for Thurles ‘Lady’s Well’ river walkway.

“We have a situation here in Thurles where tarmacadam is being put everywhere except in our street surfaces, ever enlarging potholes.”

In late April 2022, Thurles.Info posted their disappointment following the announcement by local Municipal councillors, led by Fianna Fáil Councillor Mr Seamus Hanafin, regarding the destruction of biodiversity on the ‘Our Lady’s Well’ river walk in Thurles.

Following the complaint, there was total disregard shown for Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, by Green Party Minister Mr Malcolm Noonan and his staff at the National Parks & Wildlife Service.

Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 as amended by the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Heritage Act 2018 states : –
(a) It shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy during the period beginning on the 1st day of March and ending on the 31st day of August in any year, any vegetation growing on any land, not then cultivated.
(b) It shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy any vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch during the period mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

The main purposes of introducing Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, nationally was to protect bird life during the nesting season, to help prevent forest fires, thus protecting vegetation and wildlife habitats during the months of growth and reproduction.

The Minister and his department had been warned in advance of this intended destruction, but same was allowed to continue without any explanation or reply, to the numerous communications sent to the aforenamed Green Party Minister.

**Our Lady’s Well walkway Thurles, today, October 29th, 2022**.
*Pic. George Willoughby.*

As the above video above shows, the Suir River bank in this area was lowered, (see video above), before cold tarmacadam was later poured over the area, eradicating the naturally occurring Bluebells, Primroses, Dandelions, Daffodils, Cowslips, Woodland Violets, Cow Parsley, Cuckoo Flower, Buttercups, Yellow Iris, Brassica, all previously evident and enjoyed by the leisurely walker.
Three seats/ benches were also removed, each a rest stop for the unhurried visitor and those elderly and unsure of foot.

No proper levels were taken in the lowering of the riverbank walkway; trees and their roots were severely damaged, while the quality of mainstream water, plus the build-up of silt and various uncontrolled obstructions in the main body of the river Suir itself were totally ignored; all courtesy of Tipperary County Council, led by Chief Executive Mr Joe MacGrath and his ill-informed officialdom.

Picture (above) taken this evening shows the now flooded tarmacadam pathway, with water over 30cm in depth; which is also flooding the land to the south of the area, and all because of a failure to deal with the main body of water that is the River Suir.

Thurles Local Councillors Shift Responsibility For Thurles Flooding To Someone Else.

Councillors at a Thurles Municipal District Council Meeting on Monday last were calling for ‘a plan’, latter to be drawn up 40 years too late, in an effort to tackle unprecedented flooding in Thurles on Sunday night.

Fianna Fáil Councillors Mr Seamus Hanafin and Mr Sean Ryan; the former confirming that the issue was a 40 year old inheritance problem and blaming Tipperary County Council; while the latter councillor acknowledged that this was the 3rd such incident over the last 18 month period.

As non-red faced Councillors verbally “passed the political buck” yesterday, local dissatisfied residents were seriously asking the question; “What were both above named, paid and elected public representatives doing for the past number of years, while both were members of this same Tipperary County Council, led by Chief Executive Mr Joe MacGrath?”

The answer of course they already know, same being; “Mostly talking party politics and further destroying Thurles town’s valuable, rich, history, to the detriment of our local tourism industry”.

Meanwhile, according to a recent ‘Press Release’, Irish Water yesterday outlined its investment in water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the Premier County, since 2014.

Surprise, surprise, Thurles is not targeted for future upgrading except under the “Leakage Reduction Programme”, but we learn that between 2014-2019, the utility invested €69m into various projects in Tipperary, with an estimated €65m, once again being ‘pumped’ (pardon the pun) into other un-named projects, up until 2024.

[None of which I might add, includes even a sandbag or a sewage blocker, being offered to Thurles town businesses or residents, and OMG, do you think, with local elections occurring in 2024, will the local electorate remember?]

Pending the ‘Commission for Regulation of Utilities’ approval; a further €136m will be also invested beyond 2024.

Speaking after a meeting with Tipperary County Council’s elected representatives yesterday, ‘Operations Lead‘ speaking for Irish Water, Ms Catherine McDonough said; “Irish Water is committed to providing quality water and wastewater services for the people of Tipperary. There is a strategic and targeted approach to infrastructure developments and proper investment is allocated for improving water and wastewater treatment plants, strengthening networks, supporting housing and economic growth, and protecting the environment. All of which are providing a more quality service for now and years to come.

As part of the Leakage Reduction Programme, almost 30km of old and problematic watermains across the county have been replaced in Newport, Kilcommon, Garrykennedy, Ballyglass, Tullakeady, Clonmore, Thurles, Clonmel and Templetouhy; and next year we plan to replace approximately 17km throughout the county.

This year has been challenging so far for certain parts of Tipperary with the warm weather and drought we experienced. This put some water supplies under immense pressure and resulted in some water restrictions, outages, loss of water pressure, and in some cases, Boil Water Notices.

I want to thank the people of Tipperary for playing their part in conserving water throughout the Summer and for having patience while we tried to restore their water supply. We have invested a lot in the local infrastructure to limit the impact this can have. We have accomplished a significant amount with our colleagues in Tipperary County Council over the last number of years, and we have more work to do as we continue providing a quality service for the people of Tipperary “.

Irish Water are also investing €65 million to upgrade and standardise disinfection systems across Ireland. In Tipperary, 21 Water Treatment Plants have had upgrades of their disinfection systems to date and upgrades at the remaining eight plants will be completed by the end of 2023.

The National Water Resources Plan is Irish Water’s plan to identify how we will provide a safe, sustainable, secure and reliable water supply to our customers for now and into the future whilst safeguarding the environment.
It will set out how we will balance the supply and demand for drinking water over the short, medium, and long term and ensure we have a safe, sustainable, secure and reliable drinking water supply for everyone.

North Tipperary is included in the Regional Water Resources Plan for the Eastern and Midlands region – and was recently adopted by IW. The remaining parts of Tipperary will be included in the Regional Water Resources Plan for the south-east which will be published for public consultation in 2023.

More limited details on the plan are available HERE.

Garda Compensation Scheme Bill Completes Passage Through Oireachtas.

A Bill to overhaul Garda Compensation Scheme completes passage through the Oireachtas.

Claim assessment time and legal costs to be reduced.

Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee and Minister of State Mr James Browne are pleased to announce that the Garda Síochána (Compensation) Bill 2021 has completed all stages in the Oireachtas.

This Bill provides for a complete overhaul of the current Garda compensation scheme, which has been in operation since the 1940s.

The Garda Compensation Scheme is for members of An Garda Síochána who sustain personal injuries in the performance of their duties, to help affected members get support necessary for their recovery and compensate them for their injuries. The scheme is also open to dependants of deceased members of An Garda Síochána who were fatally injured while on duty, or while acting in their general capacity as a member, or merely because of their being a member of An Garda Síochána.

The main objectives of the Bill is to reduce the length of time it takes for Garda compensation claims to be dealt with from the initial application right through to the award of compensation and to reduce legal costs.

It also offers opportunities for settlement and resolution of claims much earlier in the process with cost savings for all of the parties involved. The Bill achieves this by setting out clear time limits in relation to each stage of the process and providing what will happen where those timelines are not met. It also aims to reduce the number of applications ultimately proceeding to court, which will in turn reduce the significant legal and administrative costs and lengthy delays associated with the current scheme.

A significant change in the new scheme is that where an assessment concludes that a member has been injured as a result of a malicious incident, and is therefore entitled to compensation, the Garda Commissioner will arrange for an application to be made on the claimant’s behalf to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) who will assess the claim on an independent and impartial basis. After a claim has been made to PIAB, the State Claims Agency will represent the Garda Commissioner.

The Personal Injuries Assessment Board is the independent state body which assesses personal injury claims. It was established to support the prompt and fair resolution of claims without the need for costly and lengthy litigation.

Welcoming the passing of the Bill today, Minister McEntee said: “We can all agree that members of An Garda Síochána do their utmost to tackle crime and to keep the public safe and I commend them on this.

Unfortunately, the nature of this work means that members of the Garda can suffer injuries, or in the most tragic cases, injuries causing death, and they, or their family members in the case of death, deserve to be compensated in recognition of this.

Having met the Garda representative organisations on a number of occasions since becoming Minister for Justice, I know this is an important issue to members, and I am delighted to see the legislation passed so we can move towards establishing a revised scheme that will better serve those who need to avail of it”.

Minister Browne commented: “This much anticipated Bill to reform the Garda Compensation Scheme is important, to not only those individuals on the frontline protecting and supporting our communities, but also their family members who feel the direct effect of when their loved ones are harmed while on duty. It is only right that when incidences like these occur that members and their families are redressed in a fair and efficient manner to avoid any further burden on the injured parties.

I cannot express enough the deep respect that we all have towards members of An Garda Síochána who, despite the now dangers involved with tackling criminal activity, go out to face it first-hand. I am pleased to have brought this Bill through the Houses and look forward to the revised scheme assisting in providing Gardaí with compensatory supports in a way that will lessen delays and financial costs that the now outdated procedures sometimes had on members in the past”.

Ministers McEntee and Browne look forward to early commencement of the Bill and express their thanks to their colleagues in both houses of the Oireachtas for their assistance in ensuring its timely delivery.

EU Anti-Trafficking Day Marked By Emphasising Importance Of Awareness.

“Human trafficking is a problem, and it is happening in Ireland” – Minister Helen McEntee.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has marked EU Anti-Trafficking Day , today, by stressing the importance of raising awareness of the issue, and the importance of sharing information, knowledge and best practices amongst various groups working to combat same.

EU Anti-Trafficking Day is marked on October 18th each year, and Minister McEntee is aware that vulnerable people are trafficked into Ireland for the purpose of exploitation, including sexual exploitation and forced criminality.

The Minister said: “Today is a fitting moment to highlight that this crime is happening and it’s happening across the EU, including in Ireland. Victims can be found anywhere, often hiding in plain sight.

The Government is determined to combat this insidious crime and to support those who are victims of it.

We are confident that the victim-centred policy approach we are taking will encourage more victims to come forward which will, in turn, strengthen prosecutions and convictions”.

There are a number of significant developments in the fight against human trafficking in Ireland including:

A revised National Referral Mechanism, which will soon be put on a statutory footing, making it easier for victims of trafficking to come forward, be identified, and access support;
The development of a new National Action Plan on human trafficking;
The first convictions, in September of last year, for human trafficking;
An increase in funding dedicated specifically to supporting victims of trafficking, and for public awareness and prevention efforts.

The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the framework through which the State fulfils its obligations to protect and promote the human rights of trafficking victims, working in partnership with civil society.

The General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022, published in July, will put a revised NRM on a statutory footing.

Currently An Garda Síochána is the sole competent authority for recognition of human trafficking victims. The revised NRM will include the full range of Government Departments and agencies that come into contact with potential victims, as well as designated NGOs, as members. This should make it easier for victims to come forward to seek protection and to access all of the supports and resources that are available to them.

Work to develop a new National Action Plan on human trafficking is at an advanced stage and is expected to be submitted for Government approval before the end of the year.

The Third National Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence that Minister McEntee launched in June contains an action to identify linkages between the implementation plan accompanying the Strategy, and the National Action Plan, as well as ensuring actions to prevent prostitution and combat trafficking for sexual exploitation are addressed in an integrated manner.

Minister McEntee paid tribute to a wide range of partners across the public service providing care and practical support to trafficking victims, including An Garda Síochána, the HSE, the Legal Aid Board, the Immigration Service, and Tusla, as well as NGOs funded by the Department to provide support.

Acknowledging the launch today of a counter-trafficking awareness short film (Shown above) to highlight the risk of trafficking in Ireland, the Minister added: “For the past number of years my Department has engaged in a successful partnership with the International Organisation for Migration office here in Dublin to raise awareness that victims of trafficking can be found anywhere, often hidden in plain sight. The short film being launching today has a role in building this awareness.

“We want wider society to recognise the signs of human trafficking and to know what to do and where to go if they have concerns”.

Note: Between 2015 and 2020, 356 potential victims of trafficking were identified by the Irish authorities.
In 2016, The International Labour Organization estimated that 40.3 million persons were in situations of modern day slavery, with traffickers estimated to be coining more than €150 billion per year.

View Thurles Under Water.

According to some town residents, Thurles may be twinning with Venice shortly; same to be announced by Thurles TD’s, within the next few days.

However, those with properties under water claim that drains are not being cleaned and that engineers have questions to answer regarding drainage brought about by the half-finished upgrading of the Liberty Square town centre.

**Cathedral Street, Thurles. October 16th 2022.**

**Fianna Road, Thurles, October 16th 2022.**

**Emmett Street, Thurles, October 16th 2022.**

**Kickham Street, Thurles, October 16th 2022.**

**Thurles Town Park, Thurles, October 16th 2022.**

Garda cars and private cars are being used to halt access into severely flooded streets.

Premises in Friar Street in the town are also severely flooded, with same currently being viewed by two councillors, and Fianna Fáil TD Mr J. Cahill. (You know the latter named; he’s the farmers friend who does not support current notions on “Climate Change” and “Global Warming”).

However, today is only October 16th and one wonders should residents invest in boats, before the real winter season “swings into play”.

No doubt Local Municipal District Councillors and Officials, with red faces, will discuss the issue tomorrow, before washing their hands of the matter; to blame and make demands on Irish Water, who were never involved in any updated installation.
[Time to bring former Town Clerk Mr Michael Ryan out of retirement.]

NOTE: Warning was given in August 2022 HERE with video evidence; again in August 2022 HERE, and in February 2022 HERE, by Thurles.Info.